The Missing Link
by Emilio
Summary: Can a rainstorm bring a homeless Inu Yasha and Kagome together? YOU BET IT CAN! [Inu x Kag] Au.
1. Chapter 1 Falling From the Sky

Disclaimer: For those of you who care, I don't own, or know the people who own Inu Yasha. I'm just having fun here. 

Hi, this is my first Inu Yasha fiction, so please review and tell me what you think so far!

And now, on with the show!

**Chapter 1:**

The time was midnight. A stark moon shone down on a poorly lit ally in Tokyo. Trashcans and garbage combined with scattered debris did little to distinguish this particular ally way from any other ally throughout the big city.

This ally was special though, for it was home to a Hanyou, or half demon. A Hanyou named Inuyasha.

**_Inuyasha's Perspective:_**

I shifted for what felt like the thousandth time, trying to get into a comfortable position amidst the junk that made up my bed. Frowning down at my stomach, I scrunched up into a tighter ball as it shouted another protest at me. God, I was hungry. Even so, all things considered, the day had gone fairly well. I had successfully managed to steal an entire slab of raw steak from the butcher down the street, when the delivery truck had arrived. After that it had been a simple matter of waiting for the damn thing to thaw out before eating.

On the other hand, I had almost died again, when that damn street gang jumped me, but I'd at least managed to get through it without getting shot. Only little cuts and bruises really. It had been my fault for dropping my guard. I had fallen asleep in the wrong spot, right after devouring that tasty steak. That had been stupid. I had been on the streets since I was a child; I should have known better.

The first half of my life, my bastard of an older brother, Sesshoumaru, had taken to giving me some tough love; by beating the crap out of me every time our paths crossed. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he did it to build my character, but let's be honest. He was just a cold-hearted bastard. That was my pet name for him. Or, if I was feeling a little sour, he was "fucker". Personally, I think his abuse of me as a child was his outlet for the anger stemming from our father abandoning us right before our mother died, a few years after I was born. But again, I think that's giving him too much credit. He really was just a bastard. Which is ironic, seeing as technically speaking, I was the real bastard. Which is why by the time I was ten and grew a brain, I ran away from my loving brother and took to a life on the street.

This lead to the second half of my life, where I am today at sixteen years of age. As a street kid, I was a spectacular failure. I was no good as a pickpocket; people with silver hair, golden eyes and white dog-ears tend to stick out in crowds. Begging was also out. Again my appearance was too unusual; I would ether gather a large crowd that just stood staring at the dog eared freak, or someone would try and catch me for scientific study or some other foolishness. All in all, I'd say my half-demon heritage has pretty much screwed me out of ever having a normal life.

FEH!

Did I say normal? I'd settle for a humane life.

Shifting again, my head smacked against the cold concrete of the building that made up one side of the ally. I groaned, clutching my stomach harder. I was cold, alone, and above all else, HUNGRY. I'm a growing boy, damn it! One stupid steak is NOT enough.

Finally, I could take it no more. So, with a sigh, I got up once more, leaving behind my bed of Coke bottles and other things I didn't care to think about. I was in an area of Tokyo I had never been to before. I'm fast; probably faster than anyone else alive, thanks to my supernatural background, but those gang guys had been pissed! It had taken me all day and into the night to finally give them the slip. Now I was lost, but satisfied. Kicking that gang leader, I think they'd called him Kouga, in the balls had been GREAT! Maybe next time, he would think twice before fucking with someone while they were trying to sleep! I sniffed myself, gaging on the stench of unwashed clothes and piss.

I moved out of the ally and looked around. Traffic was non-existent this time of night, bringing with it relief from the bustle of humanity. Across from me, I saw a rather large compound that looked like a church or a shrine. Long steps lead to a walled off section where a fairly sized tree dominated the area. It was pretty, if one stopped to think about it, which I didn't. I was more interested in whether or not this place had any kind of food lying around.

Grinning to myself, I darted across the street, knowing anyone looking directly at me would only see a sort of blur. I was confident in my speed. Stopping at the entranceway, I looked in, ears alert for any sign of barking pets. The tree seemed to cover the sky this close, it's many branches streatching out like a plea to the heavens. A two-story house sat in the center of the compound, with a shrine close by. Not a church then. Not that it mattered really. '_I AM a half demon',_ I muttered to myself, unsure what a church would do to a creature like me.

The windows in the house were dark. No lights anywhere. _'Well it IS midnight, you moron'_. I chided myself. Could whoever lived here be away? The house across from was silent, giving no clues one way or the other. '_Maybe I should watch this place for a few days in that case', _thought as I leaned up against the tree. If no one was home, I could make myself welcome while they were gone. Nothing like a fresh shower and a full stomach to improve your outlook on life, I always say.

My plan decided, I searched around for a good vantage point for my stakeout. Seeing a branch high up on the tree, I grinned. _Perfect!_ Leaping up to it in one jump, I settled myself in for a little sleep, and ignored my hunger pains for the moment.

* * *

Morning came with thunderclouds that day. In the tree, the hidden figure of Inu Yasha shivered in misery as sheets of rain fell, plastering his long hair to his head. For the girl living inside the house, the experience was a little different. It was a Saturday morning, and Higurashi Kagome was just getting up, getting ready for a day at the mall.

**_Kagome's Perspective:_**

I woke up to the sound of rain pounding the outside of my window. Yawning I started for the shower, humming to myself a tune I had heard yesterday on the radio. After washing up, I changed into a skirt and sweater, checking myself in the mirror. Putting my jet-black hair up into a ponytail I smiled at my reflection. Today was my date with Houjou! For the last year, Houjou, a tall good-looking upper classman at my high school, had been trying to get me to go out on a date with him. I don't know why I always refused him. He was cute enough. Something inside me just never let me accept his advances. He had finally worn me down though, and so today I was going to meet him at the mall for some shopping, and maybe a movie.

Giggling to myself, I hopped in a circle. This was going to be my first real date! '_I can't wait!',_ I thought, as I pursed my lips in the mirror. Had I put too much on?

Coming downstairs, I noticed how quiet the house was without my annoying little brother. Even though was fifteen and Sota's twelve, the age difference between my brother and I felt more like ten years. He was such a baby! My mother, grandfather, and brother had all left a few days before for an entire month, on a vacation to America. I could have gone too, but my idea of a vacation was any time spent _away_ from my family, so I'd gladly stayed behind. My mother had left behind a credit card and a phone number in case of emergency, before leaving, knowing I could be depended upon. I loved her so much!

Looking at the clock I saw that I still had a few hours to kill before I had to meet Houjou, so I settled down in the family room and turned on the TV. A weather alert was warning people to turn off all electric appliances, since the storm had turned into an electrical storm.

Ironically this was the last thing I saw on TV, as all the power in the house suddenly turned off. I hardly paid that fact any mind though. I was too busy jumping up screaming, when a huge CRACK sounded outside in the yard. The sound was deafening. '_What in the HELL had that been?'_, I thought frantically.

Rushing to the door I opened it to check for damages in the yard. And damages I found. The great tree, the largest one in the entire yard, was smoking with a huge branch lying smoking on the ground. Luckily nothing was on fire; the rain must have put it out before anything could start, but wow! Lightning must have struck and blown something out in the house because it hit so close. The poor tree!

Resigning myself to clean up duty once the storm passed, I started to close the door. I paused, frowning, as something white caught my eye. What was that under that branch? It looked like... I squinted... A _person_?

With an oath I ran outside, rain immediately plastering my sweater to my body. Getting closer to the branch I could see that it WAS a person. Long silver hair fanned out, completely covering any features I might have seen of the persons face, but the body was completely still. Assuming it was an old person who got caught on his way to pray at the shrine, I knelt down next to it. (Although WHY someone would be out in this weather I chose not to imagine) Heaving with all my strength, I moved the large branch just enough to get it off the person.

Suddenly, I noticed something odd. This old person had fake dog-ears on its head! Oh well, I shrugged to myself; old people were weird like that. Turning the body over I jumped back, startled. This was a _BOY_, about my age! And he was... _beautiful!_ That was the only word I could use to describe him; his features, framed by that silver hair of his, were just _perfect_. He had a large bruise over one temple, and blood was flowing down his face, getting washed away by the rain as soon as it appeared.

Shaking my head to get myself to stop staring, I prepared to drag him inside out of the rain and grabbed his shoulder. As soon as I touched him his eyes shot open, which was when I got my second (Or was it my fifth?) shock of the day. His eyes were gold! I mean, really gold, and I could swear on my life these weren't contacts. These just seemed too genuine. All I could do was stare open mouthed like an idiot at this boy as he looked back at me with something like fear in his eyes. What, did he think I was going to bite him?

Suddenly I realized he had said something, and I had completely missed it!

"Huh?" I asked intelligently

He looked at me like I was one of the kids that rode the short bus. "I..." he said groggily, attempting to sit up, "I have to go." Swaying, he climbed to his feet. He made two steps, and promptly fell flat on his face.

"Are you ok?" I scrambled after him. My question had fallen on deaf ears; he was out cold. _'I guess that's a no.'_ I thought to myself. With a huff, I bent down, hooking my hands under his armpits, I dragged him into my house.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Chapter 2 Bubbles!

**_Chapter 2:_**

Dark clouds boiled in the sky, sending thick sheets of rain and thunder hammering into the city of Tokyo. All over the city, people in the streets scuttled for cover. Families stayed toasty and warm in their homes, while kids looked out of their windows in despair. No play time today.

Kagome's house wasn't that warm however. In fact, since the power for the house had been shut down a little while before, it was getting downright cold, despite it still being fairly early in the morning.

**_Kagome's perspective:_**

I couldn't believe how heavy this guy was. If he were standing he would be about a head taller than me, but I'm not that tall to begin with. Struggling, I wrestled him onto the sofa in the living room, settling him down on his back.

With that done, I finally had enough time to truly examine him. He was wearing a pair of extremely baggy brown pants, with holes in both knees. Mud and other things I shuddered to think about made deep stains in them. I had the impression that these poor pants had never seen a washer in their entire existence, all one thousand years of them. His faded red tee shirt was in almost as bad shape. It too had holes and rips in random places, and seemed completely saturated with sweat stains, amongst other, more sinister markings.

He wore a pair of ragged tennis shoes, with holes in both of them, no socks to be seen. Yep, there was no doubt about it; this boy was dirty. I would be willing to wager that this rainstorm had been the first water to hit him since, well, the _LAST_ rainstorm. His fingernails were almost as long as mine, but ragged; it was obvious he chewed them. That did it, what I was looking at was a genuine, honest to goodness, street bum. But he was so young! Sitting back, I sighed. _'Now what?'_

I eyed his growing bruise and made the obvious conclusion; a washrag for one.

Getting up, I went to the kitchen and wet down a small towel with warm water. Coming back to the unconscious freaky dog boy, I knelt down beside him, gingerly dabbing at the ugly bruise on his head.

"**_UGH!_**" I gagged, scrunching up my nose, as I took in just how much this guy _STANK!_ I might as well have been sitting next to a two-week old garbage bin.

As I wet down his forehead, his head jerked in his sleep, flinching away from my hand like it was a monster. The wet towel cleared away the dirt from part of his face, revealing a paler color than the rest of his dirty skin.

"N-No" he mumbled, eyes squeezing shut even tighter while his brow furrowed.

I almost dropped the towel when I received another shock to my system. The white dog-ears on his head had _moved!_ Looking more closely, I squeaked when the little things twitched yet again right before my eyes. They were _REAL?!_

Reaching out a hesitant hand, I lifted a length of silver hair on the side of his head, where his ears were _supposed_ to be. No ears there. Holy crap, what _**was**_ he? Despite how dirty he was, his hair was surprisingly un-greasy. In fact, it was downright silky. Reaching up to his ears, I rubbed them, just to make sure they really were real. Sure enough, they twitched in my hand, and the boy started mumbling in his sleep some more.

Well, hurt or not, I had to wake him up to get him washed up! My nose couldn't take this much longer.

"Hey." I shook him. Nothing, he just mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"HEY BOY! _WAKE UP!_" I yelled into his ear, shaking him as hard as I could. "Please?" I finished lamely. Still nothing! _Damn!_ It was up to me then. Lifting his shirt a little, I pulled down on his pants, revealing a pair of very dirty looking underwear. Thank god! As much as I was tempted, I don't think my heart was ready for a naked dog boy.

Maneuvering him off the couch, I dragged him up the stairs, bit by bit. That alone nearly drained me of all my energy, and took a really long time as well. Finally reaching the bathroom, I turned on the hot water in the bathtub. Looking down at my dirty guest, I got to work, first going for the shoes, then the pants. Throwing the pair of incredibly disgusting things into the corner, I next went after the shirt, trying to avoid looking at the part of his body I most wanted to see. I am **not** a pervert, after all!

Still, with his shirt off, I got a good look at him, and couldn't help staring. I had never seen a body as in shape and toned as his! Well I _had_, in _movies_, but never in real life. It was obvious he couldn't afford a gym, so how could be so toned without going to one? Cheeks heating up, I ripped my gaze away, then lifted and tipped him over into the bath.

Immediately the bath water started turning brown. Frowning, I positioned him so his head was above water, and started cupping water and pouring it down on his head. Again, he mumbled quite a bit, but he never woke up. Squeezing half a bottle of hair wash on him, I started rubbing it into his hair, letting the suds really build up before washing it out again using a container I spotted in a corner.

Noticing the bath water was turning a darker brownish color; I drained the water out, and then filled the tub back up again with fresh water. I realized with a start that I was still pretty damp from going out in the rain. Looking the boy over with a critical eye, I decided I was pretty much done, so I decided to let him soak for a while. Taking the free time to get changed into some warmer cloths.

After changing into some sweats and a different sweater, I walked back to the bathroom, gazing at the boy, whose head had tilted a little in his sleep towards my position, facing the doorway. He seemed so otherworldly. His little white doggie ears had slumped down, giving him a relaxed look. I couldn't help it; I giggled to myself. He was so damn cute!

Oh my god! Cute! Hojo! I was supposed to meet him!

Frantically I looked at my wristwatch. I was supposed to meet him _NOW_! I started running to the phone before I realized the power was out. My cell phone! Quickly I dug it out of my school bag and dialed Houjou's cell number.

Hojo's cheerful voice could be heard on the other end. "Hello?"

"Oh, um, hi Hojo! It's Kagome." I had to force cheerfulness into my voice I didn't feel.

"Oh Hey! What's up Kagome? I'm glad you're ok, I tried calling your house but the line was busy. And you didn't answer your cell phone. You're not trying to ditch me are you? Hah ha!" That last bit had sounded a bit strained. He _was_ worried I was trying to ditch him. Poor guy! Unfortunately, this time I really _was_.

I forced regret I didn't feel into my voice. "Oh no, nothing like that," I then went on to explain about the power outage at my house, and how I had to stay home because I had to be there while the repair guys came and fixed things. Which was true! I just hadn't gotten around to calling them yet. "So, I'm so sorry Hojo! Maybe next weekend or something?"

'Sure Kagome! I'll see you at school. Bye!" I had to hand it to him; he certainly was a gentleman.

I had just hung up and had started to dial the repairman's number when I heard a dull thud from upstairs.

Running up I turned the corner just in time to see a very confused, wet, and angry (but _clean_!) dog boy picking himself up off the bathroom floor.

Seeing me, his face turned beet red, and he scrambled back covering his privates, shouting, "What the hell? Where are my damn cloths?!" I felt my own face heat up; watching him move around was a treat. _God_, he was gorgeous. And those eyes! Quickly, I turned my back on him.

"Well, see, you were hurt bad, and I had to do _something_, but you _**stank**_, so I, uh-" Ok, I babbled. A lot. It went on like that for a few minutes until I finally wound down with "So just wait here while I get you some fresh clothes, ok?"

Sneaking a peak over my shoulder, I saw his face had a slightly confused look, as he tried to piece together the random bits of information I had just thrown at him. His golden-amber eyes were slightly glazed, and his cute ears were twitching spastically.

Not wanting to dig myself any deeper, I rushed out of the bathroom before he could begin to reply.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Chapter 3 Introductions

**Chapter 3:**

Kagome's hurried explanation left Inuyasha a little stunned, and very confused. Dazed he sat on the bathroom floor naked except for wet underwear.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

How had this happened? I get knocked out, and this crazy girls first impulse was to strip me and dunk me in water?!

**_Feh!_**

The bathroom I was in had definitely known a woman's touch. Pink toilet seat covers, light pastel colored paint and a frilly lacey thing on the shower curtains all pointed me to that conclusion. Spotting a pink towel hanging on a rack on the wall, I quickly grabbed it, wrapping it around my waist as I stood up. My temple throbbed as I straightened, and for a second I wobbled, bracing myself against the wall as I fought to stay conscious.

Damn, my head hurt! I still wasn't that clear on what had happened, exactly. That girl's explanation had been very rushed, which told me she was either lying for some reason, or more probably messed up in the head in some way.

I had been in that large tree freezing my ass off, when that thunderstorm had started. I was just thinking of where I was going to go hide out from the rain, when everything had turned white. Next thing I knew, I was mostly naked in some weird bathroom! Then that girl had shown up, and all I could really piece together from her ranting, was something about lightning, me being hurt, (like _**that**_ was news to me!) and me needing a bath of all things!

At least I now knew someone was living here. Oh well, it would have been nice to have this house to myself. Now I just had to make some excuse to get out of here, before that crazy chick turned me over to animal control.

Yes animal control. It had happened many times before. Most people seemed to think I was the zoo's problem, or if they didn't, then I was definitely a problem the police should look into. Either way, the end result would be with me ending up behind bars. As far as I knew, I was one of the only half demons in this country. My half brother, Sesshoumaru, was human, which I suppose added to one of the reason's his favorite hobby was using my face for a basketball. He hadn't liked being reminded that our mother had been unfaithful, and sought comfort in the arms of a supernatural dog.

I was brought from my thoughts when I heard little miss pervert coming back down the hallway.

"I found some of my grandpa's spare cloths, so you can use these until I can wash your old ones." She chirped as she came back into the bathroom, with her eyes averted this time.

Darting a quick glance my way, she saw that I had a towel now, so she turned fully my way. Setting a pair of worn pants and a large shirt on the sink, she started to open her mouth, looking like she was going to say more, but she paused, as I stared hard at her.

This was the first time I was able to get a good look at her. She wore a pair of dark blue sweats, and a warm looking white sweater with hearts on the front. Her dark hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, regarding me with pleasant dark brown eyes. Pretty was an understatement.

"Who," I began, clearing my throat, "Who are you? And why," Why was this so hard to get out? Oh I know! I was half naked talking to a cute girl in a strange house! That, and I wasn't really used to talking to other people. For years I had been able to get by on just grunts, growls and cuss words.

"Oh! That's right you don't even know my name!' She laughed brightly. "My name's Kagome. I'm sorry about, um, _that_," She waved a hand, indicating my partial nudity, "but I couldn't wake you up, and I don't mean to be rude, but you really didn't smell nice. And dirt isn't good for wounds. So I had to try! I had no idea how long you were going to be unconscious."

"Kagome." I tested the name out. Catching her as her eyes did a quick dart down and up again, I felt a giant blush rush to my face. _She was checking me out!_ It would have been flattering, if it weren't so embarrassing.

I felt a low growl come from my chest. Eyes widening, she stepped back. Guess she had heard the growl; I could never control how loud those growls could get. It came from emotional strain; I couldn't control them consciously.

I cleared my throat again. "Do you mind?" I asked, pointedly looking at the clothes she had brought in.

"Oh!" she squeaked, jumping a little, as though I had just goosed her. "Yeah! Sorry, I'll be downstairs while you get dressed."

But she didn't move, and we stood, staring at each other.

"Well?!" I burst out. She was starting to unnerve me.

Reacting to the volume of my voice, she gave me a look, like I had just trampled mud on her prized rug. Which now that I thought of it, I just might have done. "I told you _my_ name. It's polite to return the favor when people do that!" She scolded.

_Oh._

"Oh." I said, a little put out. I hated it when I was in the wrong. "My name's Inuyasha." I said with a lot more calm. "Can I get dressed, now?"

"Inuyasha." She repeated.

She'd repeated the word in exactly the same way I'd repeated hers. Testing it. It was kind of eerie, the way a part of her personality matched a part of mine.

"Well Inuyasha, it's nice to meet you! I'll see you downstairs when you're done!" Eyeing me again quickly she stifled a cute little giggle, (causing yet another blush from me) and with that she was gone. I heard her feet as they went down the stairs.

Cursing to myself, I wondered how the hell I had gotten myself into this predicament. Being born in the first place probably hadn't helped. Putting on the pants, which were too short, and the shirt, which was to large, I took the towel up and started using it to dry my hair as I walked downstairs to join Kagome. My head didn't hurt nearly as much now.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kagome had called the repairmen, who where already on the way. Luckily, they had been put on alert and were overstaffed because of the size of the storm. Power would be restored shortly. Kagome was downstairs cleaning.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Frowning down at another dark brown stain on my mothers couch, I scrubbed with all my might trying to get it out, with just my little sponge and soapy water. Mom was going to _kill_ me! I would have to go to the store for some stain remover. All I had managed to do was rub the dirt into the furniture more.

I paused in mid scrub as I thought about Inuyasha. What was his story? How had he ended up brained outside my doorstep? How old was he? What was with that growling sound he had made? And most important to me of all; what _**was**_ he? I had never seen or heard of anything like him before. Was he some sort of birth defect? Considering his looks, some sort of defect that had gone horribly, horribly **right**?

Hearing movement on the stairs, I looked up to see Inuyasha coming down, rubbing a towel through his amazing hair. I stood, wet sponge forgotten in my hand. Ever since he had woken up and put a name to his face, my heart beat a little faster when I was near him; it started hammering in my chest now. Shrugging it off as nervousness with having a stranger in my house, I put on a smile to put him at ease.

"Ah, much better!' I said, indicating the clean clothes he wore. And I meant it! His pants were grandpa's old khakis, although they seemed a little short for Inuyasha, and his shirt was a button down old flannel that was too large. I often used them as pajamas. But it was a _huge_ improvement over the rags he had been wearing. He looked good enough to eat! I stomped down hard on that last thought. _'I'm not some idiot that just falls for a pretty face!'_ I yelled to myself.

"Thanks. I think." He responded in a slightly dismissive tone, still coming down the stairs.

Choosing to ignore his tone; after all, he had just bashed his head in, and found himself almost naked in someone's house, I asked, "Would you like something to eat? I can't cook anything; the oven is electric. But I have some munchies somewhere if you want."

As soon as I mentioned food, his golden-amber eyes got an eager cast to them, his ears perking almost straight up. Quickly his eager expression disappeared as he assumed a neutral look. His ears gave him away though. They remained standing straight, and twitched a little as he spoke. "Sure, if you're going to be eating anyway I mean."

He didn't fool me for a second; he must really be hungry. I just nodded and led the way into the kitchen. "Well, here are some Oreo cookie... and some bread... Oh! I know, a peanut butter sandwich!" I mumbled to myself a lot like this when I cook or prepare things. It was just a habit of mine.

Getting the ingredients for the sandwich out, I pilled everything onto the table; junk food of all sorts, and sandwiches. Inuyasha looked at it all like he had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Even after I set the finished sandwich in front of him, he just stared at it all. "Inuyasha? You can eat it, you know." I smiled.

Giving a start like he had been slapped, he gave me a grateful look and a huge grin. I felt my cheeks heat up (again!) while my heart did that weird pitter-patter thing again; it was a very nice smile.

"Thanks," he said, then started to grab everything he could within reach, and ate as fast as he could, like the food was alive and he was afraid it was going to escape him.

Sitting down across from him eating my sandwich, I could only watch in awe. He was going at it like a doggie boy typhoon. Chewing with his mouth open, not bothering to wipe his mouth, I couldn't take it, so I looked away after awhile; his table manners did not exist! I almost felt sorry for the food.

Noticing my looks, he paused and looked at me around cramming potato chips and cookies into his mouth at the same time.

"What?" He said suspiciously with his eyes narrowed. His ears had pulled back a little, while a small little growl came from him somewhere.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	4. Chapter 4 The First Argument

**Chapter 4:**

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

"What?" the low growl and his suspicious look's left no doubt was he talking about.

Crap, I hadn't meant to make it that obvious. Still, I couldn't make myself look at the mess he was making. It was just gross! "Nothing." I said, trying to sound like it really was nothing, but still not looking his way.

"Look kid, don't give me that! If you've got a problem with me, spit it out! Now, what is it?!" He yelled.

I looked at him in shock. Then anger. _kid?!_ I'll give him _**kid!**_ Can steam really come out of someone's ears? "Problem? I don't have a problem! I've just never witnessed a vacuum cleaner _eating_ before! Didn't your mamma teach you any _manners_?!" I raged. I immediately regretted saying that last part. I wasn't being very understanding, I realized. He looked like he was my age; what if he didn't _have_ a mom?

For a brief moment he looked down at himself and the mess he had made. Blushing, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. His ears wilted, looking for the whole world like a lost puppy. A lost puppy I had just kicked. In my entire life, I had never felt as bad about saying something as I did as I looked into his face. I had struck too close to the mark. Suddenly he stood up, making a sound in his throat, like a tiny choking sound. His eyes turned furious, and for a second I was worried he might hit me.

I didn't need to. Without a word he stalked upstairs, leaving me to stare after him, feeling lower than a slug.

* * *

Inu Yasha stormed upstairs, intent on grabbing his old cloths so he could leave.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

Picking up my old pants and shirt, I changed into them while I mentally kicked myself.

In knew it! I knew it, I knew it! _Never_ let your guard down! It was my first rule, and I had nearly broken it! I don't know why I had started to this time. She had just seemed so sweet. Once again, it had been proven why I wasn't fit to live a normal life. Even _eating_ made people hate me. Well, having food in my stomach was nice for once, but it was now time for the dream to end.

I still burned with embarrassment from the argument. I really had felt like there was little difference between a real dog and me. Finished with my change, I marched downstairs. Unfortunately, Kagome wasn't going to make this easy. She stood at the bottom of the stairs, blocking my way.

Not pausing, I started to brush past her. "Goodbye, _kid_. Thanks for the food." I grated out. The bad thing was, my head had started to throb where my head wound was. It was probably from all the blood rushing to my face. Which made me wobble a little as I walked.

"_**Wait**_!" I looked down in surprise into Kagome's brown eyes as she grabbed onto my arm. "Don't go like that! I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blow up like that. I was just surprised and... look, where will you go? Why don't you stay here for a day or two?"

I felt like falling over; she was asking me to stay? _Me_?! "Unless you really have a home you need to get to?" She added, looking at my ruined cloths.

I blushed as I realized she was still hanging onto my arm. She was way too pretty for her own good, I felt my pulse quicken a bit, but stomped down on my natural reaction quickly. This was not the time to start mooning into the first girl with pretty eyes to be nice to me! I'd been blushing way too much today. And it was still only about noon! Wrenching my arm from her grasp, I backed up a step, studying her.

"Why?" I asked her, looking close and using all my senses to detect a lie. "I'm just a homeless nobody, _kid_. You just interested in keeping me around so I can be your personal freak show? Cage me, maybe get your friends to poke me with sticks?" I emphasized that last point my jabbing my finger into her arm.

I was all too aware of how freaky my appearance was. All I had ever gained from it were stares and taunts. I had long ago gotten used to making small children run away just by walking down the street.

Realizing I had said something to get her angry again, I braced myself. Even so, I smiled to myself. She was even cute angry.

* * *

Inuyasha had once again said the trigger word to set Kagome off. Completely forgetting for a moment her earlier sorrow for hurting Inu Yasha, she flared up again ready for another round.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

I could feel myself loosing control again as he spoke. How could he be so, so _**stupid**_?! Glaring at him, I seized his arm again, and dragged a surprised stupid dog boy to a chair. I wanted to scream!

Smiling at him like poisoned honey, I said sweetly "Inuyasha?" he looked at me and actually gulped.

I'll show him _**KID**_!!

Pointing to the chair, I said "**SIT**!"

Staring from the chair to me, he just blinked his beautiful golden- amber eyes, like he had never heard the word before. I watched as his ears turned towards me.

STUPID! _STUPID!_ _**STUPID!**_

"**SIT DOWN**!" I commanded. He wisely obeyed, staring at me like I had grown two heads, his cute little doggy ears twitching uncertainly.

"First off, _**I AM NOT A KID**_!" I wasn't sure but I think his silver hair flew back from my yell. "Second, you are my age, so _STOP_ with the _**KID**_ crap!" I was really starting to go with it now. "_NEXT_, I want you to stay, because I think that despite your _**STUPIDITY**_, you're a good guy who needs help!" I was starting to have a little bit of fun now. "_LAST_, this has nothing to do with the way you look!!" That last was a white lie. It did have a little something to do with the way he looked. But not the way _he_ meant it. The _IDIOT_!

"Now, do you want to stay here for awhile, or _**NOT**_?!" I finished, panting a little. That had felt good.

Inuyasha was just staring at me with a completely unreadable expression on his face. Eyes slightly glassy, his ears were twitching uncontrollably, which I took to mean he was thinking furiously. He started to say something a few times, but each time he just closed his mouth again and thought some more.

After a minute or two of this, his eyes snapped back and studied me again. I couldn't guess how many emotions I saw rolling around on his face and in his eyes then. Finally he looked away and huffed out, "_Feh_." Then he crossed his arms over his chest in a way that just shouted pouting.

"I-I could stay, I guess. Just for a little while. If you want." He said to the air, eyeing me out of the corner of his eyes.

I smiled triumphantly. Score one for Kagome! _'He's cute when he pouts',_ I thought, just barely stopping myself from a small giggle.

"Good!" I said cheerfully. "Now that we have that settled, could you please change out of those clothes? They are filthy!"

Just then, the power in the house came on.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	5. Chapter 5 Explanations

**Chapter 5:**

Strong winds continued to blow thick sheets of rain down upon the helpless city of Tokyo. It had passed noon, and moved into later after noon, but the storm raged on. The clouds were so thick and dark, it could have been late twilight as far as Inuyasha and Kagome could tell. The houses power was finally back on, and Inuyasha, having changed back into the spare clothes Kagome supplied, had taken a seat near a window over looking the shrine yard. Kagome was just joining him after making them both some hot chocolate.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Taking a sip of warm hot chocolate, I sat down in a seat facing Inuyasha. He had taken the window seat, and was gazing at the sheets of water that slid down the window inches from his face. His body was turned to the side, which allowed me to see him in profile, without him seeing me unless he turned his head.

The sliding water made light slide down his face in ever changing patterns, his long silver hair framed his face and flowed down his shoulders in silky waves. Absently he was wrapping a strand around one of his fingers. His eyes seemed to catch any light and hold it, taking on a luminescent glow. His ears were leaning forwards, drooping slightly. He was the very picture of self-reflection.

"Can I ask you a question? I don't mean to be rude; but..." I broke the silence.

I couldn't help it. I was too curious.

"Let me guess. What am I?" He asked calmly while still gazing out the window.

He darted a quick, knowing glance my way and chuckled in a throaty way at my surprised face.

"Um, yeah." I looked down guiltily.

For him to know what I was going to ask, I must have been pretty damn transparent when I stared at him. Crap!

"Don't worry, it's usually the first thing I have to explain." He gave me a quick, reassuring smile, before turning back to the window. "As a matter of fact, I have been wondering for awhile when you were going to ask me. You have a lot of restraint. I think you set a record." He quipped.

Blushing I just stayed quiet, letting him talk. He had a great talent for making me feel like an ass without even trying.

Sipping his hot chocolate, he continued. "I'm a Hanyou, which means half demon. My father was a demon, and my mother was human." He explained into my confused face.

A demon?! I had heard stories of demons, but only in fairy tales. My pulse quickened in slight panic. Weren't they all evil? If he was half-demon, wouldn't that make him...? With a jolt I realized he was looking at me sadly. I had been leaning back away from Inuyasha; he was reading what was going on in my mind like a book from my body language.

"Oh," I said trying for calm, "go on."

Forcing myself to relax, I took another sip of hot chocolate, my hands trembling despite myself. If he had meant me harm, he would have done so by now, I reasoned. Looking at him, I saw a slight amount of hurt there. A hurt I had only added to without meaning, just from my reaction. _'Way to go Kagome, you've done it again.'_ I chewed myself out.

Taking his eyes away from me again, he looked out the window shrugging. "Nothing much more to say. That's why I look like such a monster." He said, a little bitterness creeping into his voice. "As a matter of fact, I have to give you credit!" He added brightly, turning to me, a half smile forming on his face. "You are one of the few people I have met who hasn't completely freaked out or tried to hit me because I look so bad!"

Quickly, I buried my face in my cup to hide the shock I felt when he said that. He thought he looked _BAD_?!

"You think you're ugly?" I asked.

I couldn't help it. It was like the sun telling someone it wasn't bright.

"_Feh_," He huffed, getting a little annoyed and defensive, if his twitching ears were any indication. "Not like it matters. No need to rub my nose in it though! You don't see _me_ pointing out _your_ shortcomings, do you?" He accused, crossing his arms in his pout pose.

A lump formed in my throat; it was so sad! He had no idea! What could I say to that? Get into an argument with him over his looks? How could he _possibly_ think that? It was like a skinny person thinking they were fat, or a smart person thinking they were dumb. Same problem. I just couldn't argue with it. He had already convinced himself of its truth.

"Well Inuyasha," I said cheerfully, "If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're ugly at all! I think you're cute!" I proved it by reaching across and rubbing his ears fondly. His face couldn't be more shocked. After a second he jerked his head back out of my reach, hitting the back of his head against the window. For a moment we just stared at each other, then I couldn't help it, I started to laugh. Watching me with wide eyes, a small smile spread across his face.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

I don't think I have ever been so surprised by something, as when I heard Kagome said so cheerfully, that she thought I was _cute_. I was right after all, she _was_ messed up in the head. Then she did something even crazier. She reached out and started rubbing my ears! And though I hated to admit it, it felt good. I felt a contented sort of purring sound start in my chest, and quickly pulled out of Kagome's reach, before it got loud enough for her to hear. Smacking the back of my head on the window for my trouble. What the _hell_?! That had never happened to me before. Great, _**another**_ involuntary noise I had to deal with.

When she started to laugh, I relaxed. She had that kind of laugh.

I hated to admit it, but I was getting more attracted to this girl by the minute. I had to take deep breaths more often because she was doing weird things to my pulse. Suddenly, I wondered if she ever had a day where she didn't look fantastic. I realized what I was doing and looked away.

After a little while we settled down, and her beautiful brown eyes got a strange twinkle in them. Oh no. I hadn't known her long, but I got a sense that what I was seeing was her _'I've got an idea'_ face.

"What?" I asked suspiciously. I couldn't help but think that this was how she must have looked when she stripped me down for the bath.

She looked at me, slightly surprised. "Well..." she looked at the phone a little distance away for some reason. "I was just thinking. Your clothes aren't really worth saving. I mean they have holes and I doubt those stains will come out..." She was stalling.

"And?" I asked her after a short pause.

"Well, we should go to the mall and get you some new ones! My mom left me a credit card for emergencies, and I would call this an emergency." She said all this quickly, as though afraid I would stop her.

I could only stare at her in shocked awe. "Kagome," I started in a reasonable tone, "Is your _brain_ broken, or something? You have only known me for a couple hours! Anyway, even if I got new clothes, they would only get dirty again when I go back to the streets." Even as I was saying this, I was wondering wildly to myself why I was arguing _against_ somebody buying me something for once in my entire life.

Unfortunately my logic was flawless. Fortunately, logic doesn't apply to Kagome; she happily just steamrolled right over all my defenses. "It doesn't matter. Who knows how long you'll stay? And I want you to meet my friends sooner or later, and I won't have you walking around in rags!"

Meet her friends?! I felt a low growl start in my chest. "Kagome," I warned "What did I say earlier about freak shows?"

She gave me a look of surprise. "Oh! Nothing like that, silly! But I have friends come by now and then. And I'm not going to hide you in a closet! You're going to have to meet them!" She made it sound so reasonable. Why did I feel like I was being tricked, somehow?

"Ok, I guess..." I really wasn't sure about this. Another thing hit me as I sat there. Her mom had left her a credit card in case of emergency? "Hey, where _are_ you parents? Don't tell me you live here all alone?" I asked her curiously.

"Oh, the rest of my family went on a vacation a few days ago. They will be gone for about a month. That's why you can stay for a while with no problems!" Looked like she had all the bases covered. Still, I kept getting this nagging voice in the back of my head that I was getting tricked into something. I just couldn't for the life of me figure out what.

Kagome was looking at me impatiently.

"What now?" I asked, a little annoyed. Her eyes had this habit of being able to look _into_ me. It was a little scary.

"Get your shoes Inuyasha! We are going to the mall! Weren't you following our conversation at _all_?" She scolded, her cute little nose scrunched up in mock anger.

_Oh_.

"Oh." I mumbled.

Damn it! She was doing it again! She seemed to be an expert at making me feel stupid without even trying.

"Yeah, one second." I said, getting up to go get my worn shoes.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	6. Chapter 6 Mall Madness

**Chapter 6:**

After getting his worn shoes from the bathroom where Kagome had tossed them, Inuyasha joined Kagome downstairs. With her mom's credit card in her purse, and an umbrella for them both, they started off down the street for the mall.

Unknown to them, a gang member Inuyasha had been running from yesterday spotted him, and ran to tell his friends. Blissfully ignorant of this, the two new friends arrived at the mall.

The rain was still going strong.

_**Inu Yasha's perspective:**_

It might sound strange, but I had never actually been inside of a mall before. It was the amount of people. From the time I was ten, when I ran away from my brother, I had made it a point to always stay away from places that had a lot of people in them. I barely managed to survive dealing the few people I _did_ run into in the back alleys of Tokyo.

I knew that if I ran into more than a few people at once, a mob would form with curious eyes and frightened hearts. I can smell fear, literally. Even Kagome had been afraid already a few times just since meeting her. Although she had quickly mastered it the few times it had happened, it didn't change the fact that it was there. And she was probably the nicest person I was going to meet anytime soon.

That's why, when I stood next to her looking at the double sliding doors leading into the indoor mall, I froze. I saw them. People. A milling mass of them, they would be staring at me as soon as they noticed me. I broke into a cold sweat as I tried to force myself to go in, and face their hatred yet again. I made one step. I started having serious second thoughts.

Kagome had stopped with me, looking at me curiously. "Inuyasha?"

I swallowed. Looking at her, I cleared my throat and said. "I'm not sure... I don't think I can... um..." I was having a hard time saying this. How could she possibly understand? What could I say? I had long ago gotten tired of people running away from me screaming?

She grabbed my hand, which sent electric little shocks through my entire arm. Then, looking directly into my eyes, she spoke softly, like a caress. "I understand. It'll be ok! Trust me. We will go to a hat store so we can cover your ears first. Ok?" Strangely it almost seemed like she did understand. I felt the tension leave me as though it had never been there. Looking into her open smile, something told me I could trust her, just this once.

Giving her a nod, not trusting myself to speak, I let her lead me by the hand into hell.

* * *

Kagome, not knowing she had just helped Inu Yasha make his first baby steps in a major psychological break through, pulled him into her favorite place in the world. 

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

I really liked the mall. Oh, I'm sorry did I say _liked_? I _loved_ the mall! If the mall where a guy, we would have been married for years now. I loved the atmosphere. There was always something to do, with movies, food, and friends to bump into. And clothes! Ah, yes, clothes. Truly this was the greatest place on earth.

Of course, I had never walked through the mall with anyone like Inuyasha before. I knew as soon as we entered that his worries about people were well founded. Approaching the first store I saw with baseball hats in it, I looked around, noticing suddenly that the usual murmur of mall activity was gone in our area. All I could hear were the squeaks Inuyasha and I made as we walked on the tile floor.

Dozens upon dozens of people were around us. Every one of them had stopped whatever they were doing and stood staring at Inuyasha. Some with mouths open, most of these were girls, I noted to myself with chagrin, as well as a certain possessiveness that shocked me. Smaller portions of the ones ogling Inuyasha were boys; which made me want to giggle. But a lot more where people in various states of shock, awe and even terror. Most of the scared ones were the children.

So this was what Inuyasha had been talking about. It was one thing to hear someone complain about it. It was something else entirely when you watched it happen. I felt a fierce anger come over me then. How could they be so ignorant?!

I looked over to Inuyasha, who had tightened his hold on my hand like his life depended on it. Knowing he needed my support, I gave him a reassuring smile. I'm not sure he saw me or not. His face had become stiff, and I saw his jaw muscles clenching as he tried to keep his cool. His eyes were fastened on the tiles ahead of us. His ears were trembling though.

Forcing my voice to be light and uncaring, I said "C'mon, let's get your hat here." And tugged him inside the shop.

Grabbing a cap at random, a black and red one, I brought it to the cashier, who was staring at Inuyasha as well.

Waving the hat in front of the middle aged guys face, I said "You done leering at my friend? I would like to buy this please."

Jumping like a match had been lit under his foot, he gave me a small bow. "Sorry! Hah hah! Yes, the hat, of course miss."

Inuyasha looked at me with his beautiful golden eyes and gave me a grateful smile. This of course sent my pulse racing, and I could feel a blush coming to my cheeks. I couldn't help it! It seemed like his smile was directly connected to my heart. I stomped hard on that thought; damn it, I'd just _met_ him! Reluctantly letting go of his hand, I placed the new hat on his head.

That done, I decided he needed a hair clip or something to keep his hair back. Finding something that would hold his hair took a little while, he had a lot of it, but finally I found one that would work and I bought that too. Inu Yasha had been eyeing me the whole time. Not sure what I was going to do.

Smiling at him, enjoying teasing him, I said, "Turn around Inuyasha."

He did, still looking at me suspiciously over his shoulder. Taking his hair in one hand, I twisted it and put the clasp in at the nap of his neck, which did its job and held his hair back from his face. Stepping back, I regarded my handy work. His eyes and face were easier to see, now that his hair wasn't hiding anything. If anything he looked better than before. _'My god'_, I whispered to myself in awe.

It came to me that Inuyasha hadn't spoken since we'd entered the mall. "Are you ok, Inuyasha?" I asked with concern.

* * *

Ever since Kagome had lead him inside the mall, Inuyasha had been fighting the urge to run away. The only thing that had kept him going through the crowd of onlookers was Kagome's grip on his hand. 

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

I was still slightly shocked I was actually here, amidst all these people, just because a girl I had just met asked me to. With the hat covering my ears, and the hair clasp keeping my hair back, I started to feel hope that maybe this little trip would turn out all right.

When Kagome asked if I was ok, genuine concern floating off her in waves, I felt truly warmed. I gave her a little smile. "I think I am, Kagome. What next?" I was really curious now that I was able to think past just putting one foot in front of the other.

Her smile brightened as I said that, which to me, felt like a welcome breeze.

"Well!" She said, suddenly all business. "Now we need to get you a pair of decent shoes!"

I looked down at my old shoes with holes in them. I had found them a few years before in a dumpster. They had been too big at the time, but I had grown into them. It was a shame I was about to replace them. In a way, they were a part of me. Making sure none of that showed on my face, I looked back to Kagome and nodded agreement. "Right, lead the way."

Grabbing my hand again, sending another shock of electricity through me, we set off for the next store.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	7. Chapter 7 The True Houjou

**Chapter 7:**

Buying the cap for Inuyasha had made a huge difference towards reducing the crowds of people gawking at him. Without his hears to pinpoint exactly what was different about him, the only thing people glancing at him really noticed was someone with an unusual hair color. This meant that now, the only people really stopping to look at him where people who were struck by his beauty.

Kagome, realizing it was now safe for them to wander without attracting large crowds, decided it was ok to make a quick detour to her favorite music store before getting Inuyasha's outfit. After all, a girl had needs.

Unfortunately for Kagome, Hojo was still in the mall, having just said goodbye to two of Kagome's school friends after running into them while waiting for Kagome. And as fate would have it, he was on his way to that music store too.

_**Hojo's perspective:**_

I couldn't believe it. I had spent so much time and energy into trying to get Higurashi Kagome interested in me, and it had all been blown away because of a storm! It wasn't fair! Of course, there were plenty of other girls interested in me. I know what I have to offer. I'm good at sports, I'm smarter than most of the losers in my school, and if I do say so myself, I'm not bad looking either. There were other girls just as good looking as Kagome, who would be more than willing to date me.

Why did I have to let a stupid argument with my best friend Naraku, lead me down this road? It had started a year ago, during physical Education Class. Naraku and I had been stretching out in the quad, while comparing note's about which girl we had laid, who was a slut, who was a tease, who was stuck up. Usual stuff between us really, until Naraku started bragging about all the girls he had been with.

Of course, me being who I am, I _had_ to one up him by bragging about all the girls I had slipped a sleeping pill to before bagging them. And I rightfully should have bragged; it takes skill damn it!

He had turned to me with that damn smirk on his face, and laughingly told me he would like to see me try and get a girl I _hadn't_ drugged. This of course led us to bicker about it, finally settling on a dare. He picked; I popped. It had to be a virgin, and she had to be good looking. _She_ turned out to be Higurashi Kagome.

Neither of us figured on it being so damn difficult. I mean, she hardly even seemed interested! In _me_! I tried every come-on, trick, and strategy I could come up with, and she never even batted an eyelash! After a few months, my constant failures even got Naraku curious, to see whether even _he_ could score with her. Of course, his strategy was an instant failure. He was way too pushy, and Kagome had shut him down. Hard.

It got to be a joke between Naraku and I. _Hell no_ Higurashi we called her. I had sworn I would get her. Seeing Naraku fail, I had developed my own method. My strategy for the last nine months had been to just be nice to her. Pure girls responded to pure guys, although at times they secretly liked the bad boy types instead. I could deliver both. Slowly I had worn her down, and I had thought tonight to be the night I would finally have her!

Scowling to myself, knowing that the next time I saw them, all my friends where going to laugh at me for failing, _again_, I almost didn't realize who I was looking at as I approached the music shop.

"Kagome?" I called shocked.

Turning at hearing her name, Kagome looked surprised at seeing me, and a little guilty, I was pleased to note. She had her black hair pulled back loosely in a ponytail, and was very casual in sweats and sweater, and beautiful, if you liked that plain sort of beauty. But I didn't care. She had changed her mind! Today wasn't a failure! That's what I thought, until I saw who's hand she was holding, anyway.

What the hell? The guy was about my height, about my build, but there the similarity stopped! He had _golden_ eyes, _silver_ hair that fell to his ass, and was dressed in clothes that obviously didn't fit him. I hated to admit, but this guy was even better looking than Naraku on his best day, even in those dumpy clothes he was wearing. Looks wise, I didn't stand a chance.

As I got nearer, she waved at me. "Oh, hello Hojo!"

Finally I came right up to them. "Hi Kagome, changed your mind?" I laughed. "Wanted to see me after all?" I didn't really have to hide the hope I put in my voice. A lot was at stake here. Seeing me look at her friend, and then down to the hand she was holding, she quickly let go of his hand, a blush coming to her face.

I smiled to myself as I saw the slightly hurt look her golden-eyed friend gave her. A look she never saw because she was focused on me. Oh, I still had a shot. Looks weren't everything you know.

* * *

Inuyasha Looked down at Kagome, surprised at the change in her with Hojo's appearance.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

As soon as Houjou looked at the hand Kagome was using to hold mine, she released me like I had stung her. Looking down at her, I couldn't keep a little of the pain her rejection caused me out of my expression. Luckily she didn't see it.

Angrily, I kicked myself for even feeling the pain. Defenses man! Defenses! Quickly smoothing my face, I just stood there pretending nothing bothered me. I'm pretty good at it, you have to be very calm, or just crazy, either one, when you're dealing with people on the streets. After holding Kagome's small hand, I realized I missed it. Clutching my hand into a fist, I hid it under my oversized sleeves.

I regarded the guy Kagome was all flustered about. He was about my height and build, with short brown hair and light brown eyes. He was wearing a very stylish all black suit. Girls would think he was good looking, I supposed.

Kagome obviously did, judging by the speed she distanced herself from me when he looked at her. Damn it, I was getting worked up again. I breathed out, counting backwards from ten. Calm.

Looking at Hojo closer, I found I didn't like him. There was something about him that just put me off. Maybe it was his scent. For whatever reason, I felt a low, bass growl come from deep within my chest. Embarrassed, I tried to keep it from getting too loud, but I knew I was failing. At least they hadn't heard it, yet.

Hojo had said something, but I missed it while I was struggling with myself.

I figured it out when Kagome said "Oh him? He's nobody, just a friend!" She said contritely, making calming gestures in the air, anxious for Hojo to believe her.

I heard her when she said I was her friend. What really got me was the part where she said I was nobody. That hurt. I was stunned when I realized that it had hurt a lot. A little knife seemed to twist in the center of my gut.

What the hell was _wrong_ with me?! I was starting to get angry. I was angry for many reasons; I was angry with myself for feeling this way. Angry with Kagome for making me feel this way. Angry with Hojo for making Kagome make me feel this way. Maybe it was a selfish anger, but it was there.

Kagome and Hojo were still talking, but I hadn't listened to a word. All I could see were images of her hand leaving my hand, and her saying "He's nobody, just a friend."

Suddenly I saw that they were both looking at me with expectant looks on their faces.

"What!" I snapped, glaring at them both equally.

Darting glances at each other, which made my growl increase, Kagome looked back at me and said slowly, "Didn't you hear me? I said are you ready to go?"

Not even bothering to respond, I just started moving. I couldn't trust myself to speak. If I did the growl in my chest would escape. I was more than ready to go! I thought, looking daggers at Hojo, as I brushed past him. Hojo looked surprised at my dirty look, but I was in no mood to care.

I had taken quite a few steps before I realized Kagome hadn't joined me. Stopping in my tracks, I turned, waiting for her as she said good-bye to Hojo. I blushed, because it came to me that I didn't even know where we were going, so I couldn't even stalk off the way I wanted to!

* * *

Kagome, for her part was very troubled. She suddenly found herself trying to explain to someone she had just brushed off earlier that same day, why she was at the mall with a certain golden-eyed knock out. All without giving the impression they were dating. Kagome was not a happy camper.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Saying good-bye to a very understanding Hojo, after promising to meet him later on in the week, I caught up with an obviously aggravated dog boy. What was _wrong_ with him?! I thought, looking up at him as we started walking together.

I tried to remember what went wrong, but I kept coming up blank. Everything had been going fine! I had started talking to Hojo... My breath caught. _'Could Inuyasha be jealous?!'_ I thought incredulously. My heart beat a little faster just thinking about it. I knew it wasn't likely, we had _just met_, I reminded myself for the thousandth time that day.

Looking up at him from the corner of my eye, I concluded he was in a pout phase. Everything pointed to it; his arms were crossed, his lips were pressed, His golden-amber eyes had a far away look in them, and his black eyebrows were scrunched down in that cute way he had when he was thinking heavily. I wished I could see his ears. They gave him away every time no matter how stony his face was.

I wanted to understand why he was so upset. I needed to know!

"Inuyasha, why were you so rude back there to Hojo?" I supposed that was as good place to start as any. With a start, I realized a low key, deep growl was coming from deep within his chest. _'I'm going to have to ask him about that sometime soon'_, I thought to myself.

A long moment passed, and he still hadn't responded to me.

"Inuyasha," I warned, starting to get a little fed up with being ignored.

Eyeing me, he stopped in his tracks. I stopped with him, expecting an answer. He just stared at me angrily, while I stared back into his lovely eyes, and despite myself, I felt my annoyance slip away. Just as slowly, I watched as his anger slipped away too. I felt my heart beat pick up as I looked at him, enjoying the connection. I don't know how long we stood there in the middle of the mall, standing a few feet apart just staring at each other, but after an eternity I didn't even feel, he finally uncrossed his arms, and let out a breath.

"I don't know, Kagome." He finally admitted.

Staring at him helplessly, I burst out, "Then _why_...?"

"Just _drop_ it! Ok? I don't _know_!" He broke in, as he shook his head helplessly. "I just didn't like that guy." He sighed. "Can we shop now, so we can leave this place?" he added.

_'He didn't know. He just didn't like the guy.'_ I repeated to myself in annoyance. With a sigh, I gave up, for now. Giving Inuyasha a patient smile, I took his hand once more, and dragged him to the next store. I couldn't help smiling as I felt his hand squeeze mine as we walked.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	8. Chapter 8 On the Other Foot

**Chapter 8:**

Just as Inuyasha had struggled with his first experience with jealousy, so too was Kagome having her own problems, as the more she walked with him, the more she noticed the stares of the other girls in the mall. The two had been to many shops, and Inuyasha now had quite a stockpile of new clothes, which he carried as they continued to wander about.

**_Kagome's perspective:_**

Leaving the last store, I eyed Inuyasha as he followed me out, overburdened with shopping bags of various sizes and colors. He looked more like a walking closet than a person, I thought to myself with a smile.

Noticing me looking him over, Inuyasha took the chance to plead with me once more. "Kagome, don't you think we have enough? I have never owned this many clothes. _Ever_!" his big golden-amber eyes begged me.

"Hmm..." I stalled, debating with myself. On the one hand, he did have quite a bit now, and I didn't want to drain my mom's card. But on the other hand, him admitting that he was carrying more than he had ever had in his life, made me want to get him more to compensate.

_'What was the name of that place...?'_ I thought, remembering a sale I had seen a few shops back. Then it came to me.

"That's it!" I sang unmercifully into his suddenly hopeful face. "You need a jacket!" I concluded, turning to lead the way for the perfect store that sold trendy jackets. Behind me, I swear I heard a whimper as he shifted the bags around in his grip.

I stopped before I had gone more than a few steps though. It had happened. _Again_. A pack of girls blocked our way, staring and giggling over my shoulder at the silver haired pack mule behind me. Damn that Inuyasha! Why did he have to be so freakishly cute?! At that moment, I chose not to remember how I had acted exactly like these girls when I had met him. In fact, I still did it, if I wasn't careful. _'But I am **allowed** to; he is **my** friend, after all. They're just strangers!'_ I unjustly justified to myself, knowing it for the pile of crap it was, I latched onto the excuse anyway.

Abruptly, I stumbled forward as Inuyasha bumped into my back, not noticing I had stopped until it was too late.

"What the-?!" he swore.

Jostled from his startled grip, a few bags fell to the ground. As I went to pick them up; I had to, Inuyasha would tip over if he tried. That was when the worst possible thing happened; a friend of mine saw me. But not just any kind of friend, this was a female friend.

"Kagome?" I heard a sweet voice call, freezing me where I was, a bag forgotten in my hand.

_Oh crap._ It was Yuka. She was a lot prettier than me, and a lot smarter too. I quickly glanced up at Inuyasha, who was looking at the girl who had said my name, then to Yuka, who was just approaching.

Yuka was a little taller than I was, with wavy black hair, dark eyes and full lips. She was definitely a lot curvier than me too, and showed it off well with a tank top and tight low-rider jeans.

"Hi Kagome! What's up? Who's your friend?" She asked me, without taking her batting eyes off Inuyasha. She could at least _look_ at me! Behind her, a group of girls had gone very quiet, as they listened to every word.

Also without looking at me, Inuyasha answered for me, his face blank and unreadable. "I'm Nobody."

_What_?! Why had he said something stupid like that?! Damn that hat, I really wanted to know what his ears were doing at that moment.

Yuka looked like she didn't know what to do with that one either. She had way too much experience at flirting to let that stop her for longer than a heartbeat though. Laughing as if he had said something funny, she turned to me as I finally straightened up, the bags in my hands.

"His name is Inuyasha." I said calmly. I was glad the words moron and idiot hadn't come out, it had been a close thing. Also, the phrase 'he's mine.' floated around in my head, begging to be said, but I resisted the impulse. "We were just doing some shopping."

"Neat!" She chirped sweetly, her eyes going back to Inuyasha. With a growing sense of panic, I realized Inu Yasha was still looking at Yuka. Hadn't looked away, in fact. Suddenly my stomach felt a little sick. "Where did you meet _him_, Kag?" Yuka wondered. I hated that nickname; it sounded like 'hag'.

"Oh, we go way back." I lied. "He's staying with me for awhile." I didn't mean to, but I couldn't keep the warning tone out of my voice.

Yuka, that dear girl, picked it up instantly. Inuyasha, that sweet dope, noticed nothing. At least _now_ he was looking at me.

Only now, I had to wonder if it was to compare me with Yuka. Standing next to Yuka, I suddenly felt like a little kid next to her charming big sister. She was better looking, more social, easier on the eyes, and worst of all, better dressed! Looking down at myself in my sweat pants and sweatshirt, I felt a sinking feeling. Why hadn't I dressed up more?

"Oh, well, I'll talk to you in school Kag! I have to go, my mom is waiting in the car. I just saw you and wanted to say hi. So, bye!" She waved running off. "Bye _Inuyasha_!" She added, adding a flirting tone to his name.

"Bye." I waved back half-heartedly.

Inuyasha apparently didn't feel he needed to reply. He turned from watching her go, to study me, his eyes looking at me quizzically.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

I blushed as I found that there really had been something wrong; I had never felt inferior to Yuka before now. Never! Sure I knew we had differences, but I had never so coldly summed up her assets next to mine. What had happened to me back there?

I experienced flashes of Inuyasha, hand in hand laughing with Yuka. That sick feeling returned stronger, and I felt a lump form in my throat. I tried to give myself a shake to get rid of it, telling myself that it shouldn't matter, knowing it was just in my head. But still those pictures kept coming, and suddenly all I wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha was confused by Kagome's sudden attitude change.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

Looking down at Kagome's suddenly sad face, my heart gave a painful little thud. What had just happened?! Thinking back, I tried to piece it together.

As soon as Kagome's friend Yuka had arrived, I felt like I had suddenly become the entrée for a hunting lioness, those were the kind of looks she was giving me. Yuka was good looking, if you liked that fake sort of made up look. She obviously tried very hard to look good, with an over use of make-up and perfume that made my head hurt slightly, once I got a whiff of it. I kind of felt sorry for her. Then I had felt a sort of panic rise up in me; why had she been staring at me like that?! I'd asked myself, as the girl asked Kagome my name without taking her dark eyes off me.

Hearing this, just wanting her to go away, I'd said the first thing that had popped into my head.

"I'm nobody." I admited, that comment Kagome had said earlier still haunting me.

At least I had managed to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. I hopped that my less than friendly answer would put the girl with the freaky eyes off. Strangely she seemed to like it, as she laughed like I had made a joke.

When she'd asked Kagome, "Where did you meet _him_ Kag?" emphasizing the word _'him'_ in a strange way, I knew why she had stared at me. She obviously thought I was so much of a freak I didn't deserve to be in Kagome's company.

_Feh!_

That was when Kagome had started to act a little weird. I couldn't put my finger on it, but after Yuka left, Kagome seemed different. She seemed deflated kind of, like all her energy of just a minute before had left with her friend.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, as I felt concern for her welling up.

Looking at me, Kagome blushed for some reason, and looked off in the direction Yuka had left with a sad look on her face, that gave me painful twinges in my heart just looking at. What on Earth had just happened?! Still not answering my question, she just shook her head, not meeting my eyes.

It was obvious this was something I wasn't going to get an answer on. So, filing it away as something to be asked later, I shifted my grip on the bags and started for the doors out of the mall, hoping Kagome had forgotten about the jacket she had wanted to get me. It was all too much! "Well, I'm glad she's gone." I said over my shoulder, letting my relief show in my voice.

"_What_?" Kagome's voice stopped me in my tracks. She had put a lot of disbelief and scorn into that one word.

She approached me slowly, peering up into my eyes as she went. I was starting to develop a love hate relationship with her deep eyes. I hated looking into them because I couldn't always keep what I was feeling from her when she looked into me like that. I loved it because I always felt better after doing it. It made me feel warm, like sitting next to a fireplace.

I shrugged, looking away from her. "She wore too much perfume; I was getting a headache. I'm glad she left, she was annoying me."

Looking back at her I saw she was developing a slow smile, a twinkle coming to her eyes.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

Just shaking her head, she laughed lightly. "Nothing! I just thought... Well, it's not important. Let's go get your jacket!" She said cheerfully, leading the way. Well, at least she was feeling better. I wished I knew what was going on in her crazy head.

Groaning, I started to follow. Damn it! She had remembered to continue shopping.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" she said thoughtfully as we walked.

"What?" I asked as I concentrated on juggling the various bags I held.

"Why did you say your name was nobody?" She asked, confusion in her eyes as she looked up at me.

Gulping, trying very hard not to relive the feelings I had when she'd first called me that, I decided that I might as well tell her.

"Well, funny question coming from you Kagome, considering that was the name _**you**_ gave me. When you were talking to that guy." Ok, I let a little bitterness through. I couldn't help it.

Looking at me with a stricken expression on her cute face, I saw a blush rise on her once more, coloring her cheeks a nice rosy color. I smiled to myself, I really liked it when she blushed; she really was pretty. "Oh, Inuyasha I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like that!" Then she explained that she had a date with him, but taking care of me had made her call it off. When he saw us together she had panicked.

I couldn't help but chuckle. It felt nice knowing I had come between that loser and Kagome, even indirectly. Then another thought hit me.

"_Kag_?" I teased, remembering the nickname Yuka had given her.

"Inuyasha! You'd better not call me that, unless you want to die right now!" she threatened. A smile fighting the mock frown she had on.

Laughing, we continued on to the last store. The group of staring people that formed as I went long forgotten.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	9. Chapter 9 Showdown with Kouga

**Chapter 9:**

After buying a jacket, Inuyasha and Kagome left the mall, to the great relief of Inuyasha. The storm, not having let up for a second the entire time, howled down at them, forcing them to huddle underneath their umbrellas for protection from the rain. They hurried back to Kagome's home, loot from the mall in tow.

The gang, not knowing where Kagome and Inuyasha were staying, but knowing they had passed on a certain street, waited patiently for them to return. Kouga, a particularly mean member of the gang, was one of the first ones of the four people with him to spot Inuyasha and the girl he was with.

Signaling the others, they moved out of the alleyway they were in to confront the pair, who still hadn't seen the danger.

_**Kouga's perspective:**_

Moving out with my friends, we spread out a little, closing in on the freak and his girlfriend. Who knew a mutant with _dog-ears_ would have a girl? Hell, I've seen weirder things. Shrugging to myself, I quickly crossed the street, taking a position in front of the dead man. Feeling the reassuring weight of my 9mm tucked in at the small of my back, I waited for the two to get closer, before I made my move.

This wouldn't be any fun if we didn't scare them first. His bitch could watch him die, and then we could take turns on her.

It was a shame though; I didn't enjoy killing girls. But after we were done with her, we couldn't leave witnesses. Too dangerous. It was that dog shit's fault anyway. If he had just stayed and taken a beating like a man, instead of running away like a little bitch, his girl wouldn't be in this situation now.

Even if he _had_ just run away, we ordinarily wouldn't have tried to find him that hard. But he had beaten the hell out a couple of us before he got away. One of my best friends was in a hospital for a busted hip, because this _mutant_ had kicked him into a wall. My sack still hurt from where he had kneed me after surprisingly jumping up, just because I had pissed on him a little while he slept.

It was just going to be a joke. I was just going to piss on him while the bastard was sleeping, to teach him a lesson about sleeping where he wasn't wanted. Then rough him up a little. I hated pretty boys anyhow; I'd wanted to break his nose at least. Add some character to his face. But instead, he'd rolled out of the way, catching us all by surprise, kicking and leaping before we could do much more than cuss. Then he was out of there like he had fire shooting out of his ass.

And now he was going to die, I thought excitedly. Adrenaline shot through my body, as the two got close enough for us to begin. I rushed forward towards the pair, even as my friends Katou and Rociel, came up from behind and to the right. The two were walking next to a wall, so it was going to be easy to trap them. Two more of us had stayed behind in the alleyway. Four of us was overkill; I could have done this alone. But we were a family, so if you messed with one of us, you messed with all of us.

Katou, a tall man in his early twenties, old for this kind of life, grabbed the girl by the arm and spun her into the wall. Crying out in surprise, the girl hit the wall hard, rebounding and landing on her ass, losing her umbrella. The bags she carried, which seemed filled with clothes that were getting wet from the rain, fell where she dropped. Even as Katou was taking care of the girl, Rociel, our fighter, came in hard on dog-shit, giving the surprised freak a hard right cross, followed by a fist in the belly. The gold-eyed bastard hardly seemed fazed; as he just dropped his umbrella and the bags he had carried with a soft grunt. Now it was my turn; we had counted on this.

We knew how fast this freak was, so not giving him a chance to respond, I stepped up, pulling out my 9 and leveling it at the guys head. Silver head froze, watching me warily; he had no fear in his eyes though. It was starting royaly piss me off. The girl looked at all of us in terror. At least _she_ showed some common sense.

"Inuyasha?" She cried out, starting to get up.

I nodded to Katou, who smoothly stepped behind the girl and bent her arm behind her back, pulling upward until she was standing on her tiptoes.

Having already planned what we were going to do, we dragged the girl to the alley, followed by the freak at gunpoint. Inuyasha, eh? Not that it mattered now.

Voice calm, Inuyasha looked at me saying, "All the girl knows is my name. Let _her_ go, at least. This is between us."

A few of us laughed along with me.

"Aw... that is so sweet Inu_yasha_!" I mocked, as I lowered the gun a little. Smoothly pulling the trigger, I shot him in the hip, sending him staggering against the alley wall. He slid down clutching his wound. I looked over at my smirking friends and nodded. Three of them melted away. They had just been there to make sure we caught Inuyasha. Katou and I could handle the rest.

The girls' terrified scream was muffled by Katou's arm. Turning back to Inu Yasha, I decided to have a little more fun.

"Oops! I'm sorry Inuyasha! It slipped!" I said, before kicking him in the stomach as hard as I could, which doubled him over.

I didn't like the fact that he hadn't cried out in pain or fear yet. Not giving me that, showed his disrespect. With a snort, I turned to the girl, whose eyes were as wide as teacups. Walking calmly up to her, I punched her in the gut, which instantly dropped her to the ground, gagging. Turning even as I did so, I leveled my gun as Inuyasha predictably struggled up, trying to stop me.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, even as I pulled the trigger again, hitting him in his gut.

That one would kill him; it would take awhile for him to die, and it would hurt a lot before he did. Which was perfect, he would hear everything I was about to do to his girl.

Seeing him fall on his face, knowing he wouldn't be getting up, I turned my full attention on the girl, Kagome apparently, who was sobbing at my feet. I could feel myself getting hard at the sight of such a pretty girl, helpless in front of me. This was going to be fun.

* * *

What Kouga never realized, was that Inuyasha wasn't strictly speaking, completely mortal.

_**Inu Yasha's perspective:**_

Gasping around the pain in my gut and thigh, a stabbing fire that refused to diminish, I cursed myself for allowing myself to let my guard down. 'See?' a voice mocked in the back of my head, 'this is what happens! _Idiot_!' I couldn't argue with that now. All I could think about was Kagome.

I had been shot before; more than a few times. Usually when that happened, I played possum, and the person would assume I was dead from an obviously mortal shot, and go on their merry way. After all, a person's first instinct when committing murder was to get _away_ from the scene. They never really checked. But playing dead wasn't an option for me this time.

That was why I knew that, even though Kouga wanted to stay and play, I didn't have much time. Kagome didn't have much time. As soon as their attention was off me, I silently picked myself up off the ground. The sound of falling rain hid my movement. Pure agony ripped through my middle, making me pause for a minute, as I let out a silent gasp.

Kouga kicked Kagome again, then reached down and started pulling down her sweat pants. She had a lot of fight left in her though; she fought like a wild cat, swing her arms and kicking, screaming for help. I knew that if I didn't do something _now_, my only friend in the world was going to get raped and killed.

Anger boiled along my veins, clouding my vision as I saw what he was about to do. _**Kagome**_! I moved without thought, ignoring my wounds for the moment. Flashing past the large one, I crashed into Kouga just as he successfully pulled Kagome's pants around her ankles. Kouga was the danger, with his gun. Taking his arms, I bent them the wrong way, hearing them crack under my grip. I hardly ever used my strength, because I felt guilty using it; it was like fighting children. But this wasn't about me now.

Looking at me in shock, Kouga screamed in pain and rage. Not finished with him, my vengeance not met, I picked him up over my head as easily as a rag doll, and threw him into the wall. He connected with terrific force, and I heard more bones breaking before he passed out from the pain. His body bounced off like a ball, before he fell to the ground. If he lived, he would be eating through a straw.

This had taken only seconds; I can be very fast. The big guy could be fast too though. Before I turned from Kouga, a felt myself blasted from my feet by a bullet hitting me in the shoulder from behind. Landing on my knee's, my good arm supporting me, I grit my teeth against the agony of the new wound. Somehow, the newest one seemed to hurt more than the two before it. I hadn't realized Kouga's friend had a gun too. I should have known.

"_**NO**_!" I heard Kagome scream.

Springing back up, my arm hanging useless, I turned, a furious growl coming from deep within me. The big guy stood frozen, staring at me with his mouth open, and I grinned at his fear. Crouching, I sprang at the big guy, my useful hand grabbing his, pulling the gun to face the ground. Quickly, I chanced looking at Kagome's shocked face over my shoulder. She had pulled her pants back up, and had pressed her back against the wall.

"Get the bags, and go home Kagome." I told her tightly, trying very hard to keep the pain of my wounds out of my voice. "_**GO**_!" I yelled desperately, when she hesitated. I just wanted her safe!

Her face, dirty from having her face pressed into the ground, the rain plastering her black hair to her head, looked beautiful. Why did she choose now to be so stubborn?

"Not without you, I'm not!" She shouted back, her full lower lip quivering with emotion.

My god, but she was brave... which I had mixed feelings about just then. Not having the strength to argue while fighting for our lives, I turned back, glaring into the man's shocked expression. I couldn't blame him for that; I had carried out that conversation while holding his gun hand immobile with my hand, even as he had been taking swings at me with his other.

With a surge of strength, I twisted my hand that was holding his, breaking his wrist with a crack.

"Mother Fucker!" He howled in pain, as he sank to his knees.

Right where I wanted him. With as much strength as I could muster, I brought my knee up into his chin, snapping his head back and sending him flying into the trash on the opposite wall. Dead or unconscious I had no strength left to care.

Turning to look into Kagome's awed face, I peered at her, my vision getting blurry.

"Are you ok, Kagome?" I croaked, my throat suddenly feeling raw.

Seeing her tremble, looking at me like she had never seen me before, I sadly nodded. I understood; she'd just seen me at my worst; and now it was time for me to go.

"Look Kagome, I'm sorry you got involved with this..." Swallowing the painful lump I felt in my throat, I began. "Go on home without me, I don't belong..." I was interrupted as Kagome crashed into me, hugging me as tight as she could.

"Shut up." She sobbed into my chest.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	10. Chapter 10 Kagome's Nightmare

**Chapter 10:**

Hard rain fell around the two figures of Inuyasha and Kagome hugging in a dark alley. The sky had shifted towards twilight, closing in on nighttime at last.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

My stomach still aching from where that maniac had kicked me, I stood with my arms wrapped around Inuyasha, just relieved we were alive. Amazed at what Inuyasha had done to free us. All I could do was shake like a leaf and cry. It seemed like I cried in Inuyasha's arms for hours, although it was probably just a few minutes. I just couldn't stop. My pulse was still pounding, and every time I thought about what had almost happened to me, I broke down again.

Inuyasha had put his good arm around me, his hand smoothing my wet hair with calm even strokes. I felt his body shake, and at first I thought it was from emotion, but then my eyes sprang open with the realization that it came from his body coping with pain. '_He's just been **shot** three times, and he's standing in the rain just so I could cry on his shoulder?!'_ I thought incredulously.

Looking down at my clothes I saw with alarm just how selfish I had just been; my white sweater was stained red with his blood. Inu Yasha hadn't said anything after I'd hugged him. His shoulder, oozing blood into the ruined oversized shirt I had given him this morning, hung limp at his side. Another large stain of red had spread at his stomach, where he was hunched over slightly after I stepped away.

Lower down, His hip was bloody as well, but his shirt hung over it so I couldn't see how bad it was. He was favoring his other leg to keep himself up. His normally alert golden eyes had lost focus. Against all odds, his baseball hat had stayed on his head, which hadn't stopped the rain from soaking his hair, plastering it to his face and neck.

Hastily, I slung his good arm over my shoulders, helping him walk back across the street so we could go home.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." I decided out loud. He had lost a lot of blood.

With a jerk he released himself from my support.

"No hospitals!" he said fiercely, his words a little slurred. "I'll be ok." He mumbled continuing to hobble without me the rest of the way across the street.

"Inuyasha, are you _**stupid**_?! You could _**die**_!" I cried in disbelief. Saying that out loud caused fresh tears to come to my eyes. I couldn't stand the thought of a creature as beautiful and brave as him dying. "You _have_ to go." I said firmly.

"_**NO**_!" He shouted, pausing to look at me over his shoulder. His golden-amber eyes were feverish, and seemed to take on their own light. "If I go to a hospital, do you know what they will do to me after I recover?!" Perhaps seeing the tears in my eyes mixing with the rain running down my cheeks, his face softened. "I would never be free, Kagome. I would rather die." He said softly, as he looked away, walking again. "I'll be okay Kagome. Trust me."

Coming to our dropped bags, I gathered them up. I was _not_ going to lose these clothes. Not after all the trouble we'd just been through. My arms full, I walked next to Inuyasha, his arm draped over my shoulder. Lending him a little of my strength, we eventually came to the entrance to the shrine. The steps leading up to my house now looked about as impossible to climb as a cliff side.

Looking up at Inuyasha, I saw his face take on a determined look. Pushing away from me, he started quickly up the steps, taking them sometimes two at a time. Alarmed, I ran after him, ready to catch him if he slipped. But he just kept going, huffing each time he took a step, we reached the top rather quickly. Not pausing at the top, probably afraid if he lost his momentum he would never start again, he continued straight to the door, where I caught up, quickly unlocking the door and opening it for us.

Now I had to decide where to put him. The couch was out of the question. Since my mom's room had a king size bed in it, I decided to take him there. But first, I had to clean him up! Dropping the clothes, I took his arm, leading him up to the bathroom. Knowing we had some bandages there, I sat him on the edge of the bathtub, finding the first aid kit under the sink.

"Inuyasha, um, you're going to need to ditch the clothes. I'll go get you some shorts." I explained.

Inuyasha's eyes had started to drift closed, but they popped open when I started talking.

"Why is it every time I come to your house, I end up naked?" He asked, grinning.

I couldn't stop a giggle at that. "Just your luck, I guess. I'll be right back."

Running, I got a pair of boxers from my grandpa's closet, and came back. Inuyasha had already taken off everything but his underwear. With his hat off at last, I could finally look at his ears; I had missed them. This time, It wasn't as much fun to look at him, now that I saw his wounds.

"Put these on," I said, tossing them to him.

As he did so, I got the first aid kit ready, and started cleaning his wounds with disinfectant after he had put the boxers on.

"Promise me, that you won't call the police or something when I'm sleeping Kagome." He said suddenly.

Looking at him in surprise, I shook my head and looked down, not meeting his eyes.

"I can't do that Inuyasha!" I argued. "You might need the help!"

Surprisingly I felt his hand gently cup my chin, tilting my face up as he leaned close to me, his entrancing eyes only a half-foot away. "Kagome, I- I've been shot before. I have never needed a hospital. I might get worse for a while, but I won't die. Do you trust me?" He asked gently. Looking into his golden eyes I could barely breath. My heart pounded in my ears at his touch. But staring at him, I found that I really did trust him. I nodded slowly, trapped. "Then promise me. Please."

"I promise." I said defeated. I prayed he was right. "Let me see the wound in your hip." I continued, still unable to look away from him.

How could I have known him for only one day?! It was suddenly hard for me to imagine what it was like not knowing him. Releasing my chin, he looked down at his wound. With a grimace, he reached down and pulled down his boxers slightly, giving me a look at the bullet hole in his hip. _'How could he be alive after all this?! Why wasn't he crying?_' I thought to myself in awe as I cleaned that wound too. I worried about the bullets still inside him, but I couldn't do anything about it. Hopefully Inuyasha had thought of that.

Taking a couple rolls of bandages, I wound them around his torso, then his hip, pulling them tight. Blood soaked them immediately, but it looked like they were doing the job. Moving to his shoulder, I repeated the process. When I was done, he looked like a half naked mummy. A cute one. Leading him to my mothers' bed, I sat him down. Getting a bunch of towels, I put them down laying Inu Yasha on top of them. Mom would not like seeing bloodstains on her bed when she got back. Putting more towels on top of him, so he wouldn't get her covers bloody, I tucked him in. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out, snoring softly.

I paused over him for a second, just looking. His silver hair framed his face, flowing over the covers. His right ear twitched every now and then, as he softly breathed in and out. I gave a little jump when I noticed that his bruise from the head wound he had gotten earlier today was almost completely gone. _Nothing_ healed that fast. I started to believe him about him going to be ok.

But then he started to shake, and then to hunch around his wounds, and it was all I could do to stay strong and not cry again. I went and got some water and a damp rag, and I settled down next to him over the covers in my moms' bed. Dabbing his forehead, and putting a little water to his lips when it seemed like he needed it.

I was still wet, so I got up after awhile and changed into shorts and a slightly oversized shirt, my usual pajama outfit. Coming back to Inu Yasha, I saw he was groaning, and twisting while he slept. Settling in next to him again, I wiped the fresh sweat off his forehead with the rag.

I hadn't realized how exhausted I had been, and before I knew it I had drifted to sleep, and dreamed.

_I was running in a sunny meadow, laughing and enjoying the feeling of just using my body, running. Then the meadow darkened as a shadow covered everything. Looking up into the sky, I saw not the sunshine, but the gangster with the gun. His black eyes seemed to swallow up all light, and he was looking hungrily at me. Wanting me._

_Screaming, I ran, but he was always there, just over my shoulder. I kept running, panting in fear, until suddenly I reached the end of the meadow, and all that I saw beyond it was air. Looking down I saw that the meadow ended in a cliff, with a bottom I couldn't see. Turning just as the maniac reached me, I took a step back. One step further and I would fall. He reached out a giant black arm to grab me, and so I made my decision; I jumped, screaming as I fell. After a while the ground finally reached up to claim me._

With a cry I sat upright in the bed, sweat covering my body. With a trembling hand I wiped the sweat off my brow. Beside me, Inuyasha had started convulsing, coughing and panting. He still slept, but he looked like he was getting weaker.

_Idiot! __Why had I promised not to call someone?'_ I scolded myself as I watched his struggles get weaker and weaker. _'Because he looked at you with his big doe eyes, and asked you not to.'_ A sarcastic voice in the back of my brain scoffed back.

Suddenly his struggles stopped. I felt a cold hand clench my heart. More scared than I have ever been in my life, I leaned over Inuyasha and put my ear to his chest, listening for his heartbeat. I found none. _**NO**_! Frantically I got on my knees beside him, and with my palms folded on top of one another began pumping at his chest like I had been taught in school.

_'Don't die.'_ I prayed frantically as I pushed at his chest,_ 'Don't die!'_ Tears streamed down my face, as I did it again, the bed shaking with the force, _"DON'T DIE!"_ I cried out loud as I kept repeating the process.

Suddenly his hand came up and grabbed my wrist, holding it. Shocked and hopeful, I leaned over to look down at his face, my tears falling onto his cheeks. His eyes opened slightly, showing a slit of gold.

"Damn it, woman," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "I've been rained on enough today."

His grip relaxed, and his fell once more into a deep sleep.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	11. Chapter 11 The morning After

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. But I sure as hell wrote about him getting shot! Oh my. 

And now, on with the show!

**Chapter 11:**

All through the night the storm rocked the city of Tokyo. Weather stations warned the storm could last for days, and larger than average waves were to be expected. As dawn broke, turning the night clouds into day clouds, the storm eased up, turning into a light drizzle. It seemed even storms needed to pause to breathe, before it started screaming again.

Inside Kagome's house, the pitch dark of night slowly turned to the gray of early morning. Kagome, exhausted after spending most of the night tending to a feverish Inuyasha, lay sprawled next to him on her mother's king sized bed. Inuyasha, now unwatched by Kagome, seemed to get better by the second. It wasn't long before he opened his eyes.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

I woke up slowly, not noticing the difference at first, between sleep to consciousness. I lay under warm blankets, upon a soft bed, briefly confused on how I had arrived there. Had I died? Was this heaven? My wounds throbbed, sending shots of pain through my system.

Nope. Not dead, then. Moving my hand to probe the wound in my gut, I winced as my fingers touched the hot inflamed flesh where I had been shot. Feeling something solid, I fingered it. It seemed half buried in my flesh. Taking it between my fingertips, I pulled it out, wincing as it popped free.

Holding it before my eyes, I examined the flattened bullet head. That was the way it always happened. My body usually would have popped the bullet out by now on it's own. I guess getting shot more than once had made it harder to heal as fast. I hadn't wanted to tell Kagome that this was my first time getting shot more than once in the same day. Personally, I had been sure I was going to die. I'm glad I was wrong.

I couldn't remember much after I left the bathroom last night. It was as though my body, recognizing I had reached a safe spot, had shut down all functions. I had bad dreams of course, mostly involving Kagome being in trouble with me not being able to stop it. Other than that, I felt refreshed. I knew that it would be at least a day or two before I would be able to get up and move about again though. A day or so in a soft bed like this. As far as I was concerned, this really was heaven.

Reaching down, I pulled the other bullet from my wounded hip. Next went the one in my shoulder, although that one took a bit of uncomfortable stretching to reach it, which sent waves of unpleasant feelings shooting through me. Tired, I settled back, a little surprised that Kagome and I had actually lived. Life was funny. Kagome. Where...?

Turning my head I saw her. She was a few feet away, breathing softly. Shifting in her sleep, she turned my way, her face settling very close to mine. Startled, I held my breath, letting it out slowly as I got used to being this close to a girl. Kagome was the first girl I had ever spent more than a few minutes with, besides my mother. _Feh_, there was a first time for everything.

This was the first chance I had ever gotten to really look at her, without worrying about staring at least. Reaching out my hand, I gently brushed some of her dark hair from her forehead. Her nose scrunched up in a cute way in her sleep, and murmured something I couldn't understand under her breath. Her lips looked very full to me at that moment, her small white teeth perfect. I found myself wishing I could touch her lips, to see how soft they were. I had thought she was beautiful before; now I realized she was stunning.

_'Stop being a pervert, you stupid mutt!'_ I chided myself.

Still, I couldn't resist stroking her hair, from her forehead to just over her ear. It was just so soft! Plus every time I touched her my pulse picked up. Like I had been running.

"Inuyasha," she said in her sleep, softly. I blushed. What was she dreaming? She wasn't finished though. "What are you doing?" This was in a much firmer tone, and her eyes opened, looking at me sternly.

CRAP! Not in her sleep then. I pulled my hand back like I had touched a fire. My face felt hot enough to _**be**_ a fire. I was pretty sure I was in trouble.

"Just checking to see if you had been hurt." I said as nonchalantly as I could, thinking faster than I ever had. "I'm glad you're okay." I added truthfully. Her beautiful brown eyes turned from stern to happy instantly.

Whew. At least I had dodged _that_ bullet.

* * *

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

I woke up peacefully, a pleasant change from the nightmare I had last night. Something was stroking my hair.

"Inuyasha," I said sleepily, and the movement paused. What was he _doing_? "What are you doing?" I asked, opening my eyes and leveling a glare at him. Surprisingly, he was a lot closer to me than I thought. I must have rolled over towards him in my sleep!

Taking his hand back, he stared at me, his face turning red. His golden eyes were very large; his white hair hid part of his face from were it bunched up on the pillow. Above it all, his ears where twitching like mad the entire time he made up some excuse about checking my health. His ears gave him away instantly. Giggling to myself, I forgave him instantly. I wished he would keep doing what he had been doing, I wouldn't have minded falling asleep again like that.

"How are _you_ feeling?" I asked, concerned.

Still looking into my eyes, he just grunted. "I feel like I've been shot." He said sarcastically, a slight smile on his face.

Using his other arm, the one he couldn't use the night before, he opened his fist, and three small bullets fell and bounced onto the bed between us. I picked one up, holding it in front of my eyes in awe. Inuyasha really had known what he was talking about.

Annoyed a little at his cheerful mood, I dropped the bullet, and reached over putting a hand to his face. "You died for a minute last night, Inuyasha." I said caressing his face gently. The horror of the night before had come back to me. I needed to touch him to reassure myself that this was real, and not some pleasant dream.

He was staring at me in shock. Then his face shifted to unconcern, thinking he knew what I was talking about. "Well, I'm sure I got weaker, I always do. But I didn't die, Kagome. Look! I'm alive, right here!" Suddenly I wondered to myself if he had ever gone to school. Now was not the time to ask him though.

My hand turned from caressing his face, to holding his face in place, as I leaned closer, making sure he couldn't look away. Glaring at him, trying to make him understand, I said plainly, "No, Inuyasha. Your heart stopped! For a little while, you died!" He just stared at me, his eyes wide as he took this information in.

Then I realized how close together we were. And it came down to one of three things, I decided, staring at him. Either I could kiss him with passion, hug him out of relief, or hit him from frustration. I settled for the hug. I didn't really know how he would react to a kiss, and hitting someone who just got shot protecting you wasn't polite.

Scooting over, I put my head down on his chest, squeezing him to me, not wanting to let go. Inuyasha didn't seemed to mind; his hand went back to stroking my hair.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

Not replying, I just hugged him tighter. Feeling the heat of his body, with my ear to his chest, I heard the reassuring thump of his heartbeat. We stayed like that for a very long time. His hand eventually stopped its movement, and I heard a soft purr like sound deep in his chest, only audible because I had my ear to him listening. He had gone to sleep. Sighing, not really wanting to, I got up. A girl can't cuddle _all_ day. Even if the person was someone like Inuyasha.

I was a little surprised at my boldness, but strangely I didn't feel embarrassed. I had never done anything like that before, let alone with someone I had only met yesterday. It had just felt so natural, as though the usual laws for such things were suspended, just for us. Shrugging to myself, not willing to explore the many emotions I was feeling at the moment, I went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	12. Chapter 12 Sneaky Sango

**Chapter 12:**

Outside as the dawn broke, the rain falling lighter than it had since the storm began, the police discovered two unconscious and broken men in an alleyway not far from a certain shrine. One of the street toughs, in a moment of consciousness, kept mumbling about a demon as the ambulance took them away.

Rumors had already spread amongst the law enforcement about a savage demon that preyed upon people in dark alleyways. Most laughed it off as silly superstition, pointing to all the gang violence as the real cause. Wasn't the world violent enough without making up fairy tails? A few, a very few specialists, didn't laugh however.

Inside the shrine house, oblivious to the activity, taking place outside, Kagome walked downstairs to prepare breakfast for herself and her friend, Inuyasha. Cooking eggs, Kagome hummed joyfully to herself, feeling very content after her time with Inuyasha. With Inuyasha out of apparent danger, the horror of the night before almost seemed like a nightmare, unconnected with reality. As she finished preparing the meal she had made for two, she had no idea she was about to be interrupted by a visitor she would never have expected.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Placing the finished breakfast of scrambled eggs on a tray, I smiled to myself, thinking about whom it was that slept upstairs. The side of my face still felt warm from where it had rested on Inuyasha's chest. His heartbeat had been very quick at first, but then it had slowed to a calm, even beat. I had come close to falling asleep again to it.

I couldn't get him out of my head. I was still trying to figure out how someone I had just met could have such an effect on me. Sure he was good looking, but Naraku, one of the best looking guys in school, had hit on me once, and I had never looked at him twice. Sure Inuyasha was way better looking that Naraku, but that wasn't the point.

Could it be his personality? Was that even possible? I mean god, I had only known him for twenty-four hours and I had already been in a few fights with him! I had been in fewer fights with Hojo, and I have been putting Hojo off forever.

_'I just can't pin-point it!'_ I thought in frustration.

All I knew was that I felt good when I was with him._ 'Good isn't the word'_, I thought, blushing, as my mind conjured up his face once more. _Gah!_ I needed to think of something else! This was getting ridiculous.

As though heaven had heard my plea, I was interrupted from my thoughts when someone rang my doorbell. Confused; I hadn't been expecting company; I set down the tray of food and went to the door. When I opened it, my eyes widened in surprise and fear. I was glad I wasn't still holding the tray, or I knew I would have dropped it.

Standing in my doorway was a young woman, in her very early twenties. Hell, she looked like she had graduated high school last year, I judged. She was extremely pretty, with long brown hair and eyes, with mascara on her eyelashes. She wore a business dress covered by a raincoat, and she held an umbrella over her head. She exuded a sort of commanding air, and part of a police badge was visible at her waist where it was pinned to her belt.

_'The police!'_ I thought frantically.

"Hello, can I help you?" I asked, trying to ignore the icy spear that had stabbed my spine.

"Good morning." The woman started in a business like way. "I am investigating a crime in the area. Could I ask you a few questions Ms...?" She asked in a leading way.

_'Oh god, what if those bastards from yesterday had died?'_ I thought frantically. We could be charged with murder! "Higurashi Kagome." I stated with as much calm as I could muster.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms Higurashi, you can call me detective Sango." She said with a bright smile. Her entire face seemed warm and friendly when she smiled like that. I shivered. "May I please come in, Ms Higurashi?" She continued politely.

I gave a jump. Oh god! If I refused, she would be suspicious. "Oh! Of course detective! Please come in. And call me Kagome." I suited words to action by stepping to the side, closing the door after she walked in. Setting her shoes by the door along with her raincoat and umbrella, I led her to the sofa.

"Then please, call me Sango. I hate being so formal, don't you?" she confided as she settled down.

"Ah! Haha yes, Det-er-Sango." It was a wonder I hadn't fainted yet. My heart was thundering in my chest. This wasn't happening! I needed time to collect myself before I went to pieces. "Would you like some tea, Sango?" I asked politely.

"Yes, thank you." She said absently as she took a notepad from a pocket. As she brought her hand out of the pocket carrying the notepad, a small container fell out, bouncing off the sofa seat and landing on the floor. It was a small black oval container, and as soon as it hit the floor, it's top snapped open, releasing a pink powder that almost seemed to glow.

The detectives face looked surprised, then she turned to me apologetically. "I'm sorry! I can be so careless with my make-up sometimes." She admitted as she knelt down to pick it up.

'No problem!" I said, "I will be right back with your tea." I called as I turned towards the kitchen.

"Thank you!" She called to my back. Whew! Now I could take this time to think about what I should do!

* * *

As Kagome left the room headed for the kitchen, Sango's demeanor changed, from her friendly face to the serious look of the trained professional. Watching the glowing powder intently.

_**Sango's perspective:**_

My heart was pounding with excitement as I saw the results of the powder test on the ground. The powder, made from special ingredients that even mystified me, would only glow pink if there was a demon nearby. It must not be a strong demon, or it would have glowed brighter. It wouldn't have glowed at _all_ if there wasn't one around.

I had been in the business for a few years now. I had started while I was still in high school, and my success at such a young age had quickly made me something of a star in my profession. Real demons were hard to find in the modern world. Most of them knew that to be identified was to be exterminated.

So they tended to hide and cover their tracks very well. Our taps into police broadcasts had lead us to believe that a demon had appeared in this neighborhood. Rumor had it that in the alleyways, a demon lurked with silver hair.

Every time we got close, it had moved on though, always a step ahead of us. The only reason we hadn't been able to catch it until now, was because for a demon, it had a startlingly small body count. It never seemed to kill anyone! Usually they were easier to find because of the casualty list.

The only thing we had going for us when hunting this one down was our secrecy. If it knew that people specially trained to kill demons were after it, we had every reason to believe it would disappear for good. We had been hunting for this one for a while, and it looked like after all these years, I had stumbled upon the right spot.

That was why I was surprised and pleased to see the demon was close by. Maybe even in this house! The scum usually would have been long gone by now. It had finally slipped up! I thought exultantly as I picked up the container filled with the mystic dust.

Standing up, I put the tool in my pocket. This girl was an enigma to me. Kagome seemed very sweet, hardly the type to associate with demons. Maybe it had cast a spell on her? One or two demons had been known to posses' mind-altering powers.

Most demons were animalistic in nature though, which meant the first instinct they had was to eat and survive, rather than use puppets. Only powerful demons could do that. But the mist would have glowed brightly if the monster were that strong. This all meant that Kagome was doing everything of her own will.

Or maybe...? Hostages? Was it _forcing_ her to do his bidding?

"Kagome?" I called to the girl in the next room.

There was a brief pause, then, "Yes?" She asked

"You seem a little young to live here alone." I said, making my voice sound casual. The demon might be listening. "Where are your mother and father today?" The most likely place for it to hide was upstairs.

Kagome came back into the room, carrying two cups of warm tea with her. "Oh, my family is on vacation in America for about a month." She said cheerfully. She looked slightly relieved for some reason. "My father died when I was just a kid though." She went on, smiling at me a little to show she was over it.

"Ah, I see." I replied, sipping the tea.

Hmm, good stuff. Her family just happened to be on vacation for a whole month, while a demon just happened to be in the house? She really needed to work on her cover story. I needed an excuse to go upstairs.

"Listen, before I start asking you questions, could I use your restroom?" I asked politely, taking a chance that it was on the second floor.

"Sure it's..." She paused.

Her expressive face gave away quite a bit at that moment. Mostly it was fear, if I had to guess. Success! Now I knew, it was up there.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sango, but I'm afraid our bathroom is out of order." Kagome continued in what I am sure she thought was a calm manner.

She might as well have been running around in circles screaming as far as I was concerned. The game was up.This was it, the time for action. I could forget about playing detective now. Reaching behind my neck, I brought out a long three-foot long silver blade that had been strapped there. It was magically enchanted to be deadly to demons upon contact. This was going to be easy. Stalking past Kagome wordlessly, I went to the stairs, heading up.

"Hey? Sango? I said it doesn't work! What is that silver thing for? _Hey_! _**Don't go up there**_!" Kagome had gotten very desperate very quickly. I ignored her. It was time to work.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	13. Chapter 13 Stalking Your Prey

**Chapter 13:**

Inuyasha rested peacefully in Kagome's mother's bed, while Sango the demon exterminator stalked him. Kagome, overcoming her fear of being arrested and shock over the 'detectives' strange attitude change, rushed after Sango, determined to stop her from reaching Inuyasha.

_**Sango's perspective:**_

I felt pumped as I came up the stairs, carefully looking down the hallway, ready for any surprise attacks the demon might try. Irritably I ignored yet another one of the girls pleas for me to stop. Didn't she ever shut up? Oh well, she wasn't a threat, only an annoyance. One I would be glad to be away from once I destroyed whatever weak thing she had up there.

Then I felt something tangle up in my legs, forcing me to drop the blade in my hand, to break my fall on the steps. Coming down hard, I realized that Kagome, desperate to stop me, had flung her arms around my legs. My silver blade, not satisfied with just falling where I had dropped it, continued to bounce down the stairs, finally embedding itself point down in a step a little past Kagome. Well, at least I had _thought_ she wasn't a threat; guess she had some spine in her.

"I said _**stop**_." Kagome growled up at me from her death grip around my legs. "I don't know where you get off, thinking you can just do whatever you want in my house, but it's pretty clear that your not a real detective. Now _leave_ before I call the _**real**_ cops!" She continued relentlessly.

I smiled down at her, watching confusion grow in her suddenly unconfident eyes as she obviously wondered why I was smiling at a time like this. I couldn't help smiling; I was starting to like her. "And what will the police do once they find the demon upstairs?" I asked calmly.

Her mouth worked as she tried that one on for size, her innocent face showing so many mixed emotions I would have had trouble putting them into words. Worry might have summed it up. "What did you say?" She asked in a very small voice.

"How about this, Kagome? If you don't let me go right now, I will call the police myself once I get out of here, and we will see how _they_ will handle your demon problem." I continued sweetly.

That got her attention. Releasing me like I was on fire, she got up backing away from me, her eyes very round as she stared. "How...? What are you?" She asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

I was getting tired of all of this. Sighing, I got up slowly, dusting myself off and straightening my clothes. I had been wearing a skirt; that had been undignified. Walking back down a little ways, I retrieved my blade.

"My name is Sango. And I never lied to you. I said you could _call_ me detective, I never said that I _was_ a detective. As for what I am? I kill demons. Like the scum upstairs that is no doubt holding your family hostage. Am I right?" I paused, looking at her for confirmation.

Not like it really mattered if she denied it, she would probably do or say anything to protect her family. She seemed like that kind of a person.

Sure enough, she tried. "_**What**_?!" She even managed to look a little outraged. "What are you _talking_ about?! Inuyasha would never...!" She stopped, biting her lip, knowing she had just given me more information.

"Inuyasha? You are on a first name basis with a demon?" I asked in amazement. "What are you, _sick_? Do you even realize what these things are capable of?!" I raged at her.

It wasn't really her fault, it's not like most people even knew for sure demons existed. I ignored that logic; I was busy reliving why I hated demons so much. A particularly nasty one had raped then killed my mother, right before he had tortured and literally eaten my younger brother piece by piece. I felt bile rise in my throat at the memory of when I had stumbled in on the scene after the exterminators had done their work.

Even now, years later, I still felt sharp pangs of grief every time the subject came up. I would never get over it. I couldn't; doing so would mean I had let them go from my heart, and I would never allow that.

My psychiatrist had promised me that what I was going through was normal. I think she just said stuff like that so I would never really heal, so I would keep paying to come back for more sessions. Of course, it was that same shrink that had gotten me to admit that I was jaded and distrustful of people, so really she only had herself to blame for my suspicions about her.

All of this was why I suddenly felt disgust with this little brat who could defend such monsters for whatever reason. It was just pathetic!

"Now shut up, and stay back! I have work to do. The world will be a much better place without this Inuyasha of yours." I concluded marching back upstairs.

Going down the hall, looking in each of the rooms as I went, I ignored the presence of Kagome behind me as she followed. She couldn't stop me without killing me. And I was a pretty good judge of character. She didn't have that in her. Finally, there was only one room left, at the end of the hall.

Checking over my shoulder to look at Kagome to make sure she wasn't doing anything stupid, I shot her a warning glance that said_ 'don't you dare interrupt'_. The girl just had her hands behind her back looking at me worriedly, seemingly cowed for now. I hoped she was! This was serious business. I could only hope that the demon hadn't heard us argue and fight out on the stairs; if it knew already what I was there for, the fight would be tougher.

Stepping into the room, I scanned it quickly. A dresser and mirror combination with different perfumes and other assorted things filled the width of the wall to the left of the door. To the right, the wall was clear except for various family pictures hanging in artful disarray. Across from me a large window with pleasant white curtains drawn open to let the light in illuminated the room. The view, which overlooked a nice section of the courtyard outside and the city beyond, would have been pleasant if it were not for the gray and black storm clouds covering the sky.

I absorbed all of this in an instant, and dismissed it. What really had my attention was what was resting in the large king sized bed dominating the room. My breath caught in my throat as I took in what I was looking at as I approached the bed. _'What the HELL?!'_ I exclaimed to myself. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"A _half_-demon?" I whispered in awe.

It slept peacefully, facing the window as it took steady, even breaths._ 'I shouldn't call him **IT**. **He**.'_ I corrected myself. The thick covers rested just below his bare chest, which was covered in bandages soaked red with blood. His features were-- perfect, as though an artist had drawn on canvas an ideal man, which had then miraculously come to life.

He had silver hair, just as rumor said, that flowed down and over the covers and framed his face, giving him an angelic look. Dog-ears twitched on top of his head, the only true indication I had seen so far that pointed to what he was. If you didn't count his supernaturally good looks anyway. A half-demon, I thought in awe. I had only heard stories about these creatures.

They were a lot rarer than demons, by a great degree. Demons lived any where from thousands of years to forever, if they weren't killed first that is. This longevity coupled with their hatred for the human race made human and demon relationship cases as rare as once every few hundred years. If that! In the rare cases when they actually DO form a relationship, the times when they actually agree to have a child is even more unheard of.

This was because, the only time a demon could produce offspring of any form was when BOTH parties agreed to it; like an alliance. I couldn't say how or why, I just knew that was how these evil supernatural beings did things. That was why you never saw a half demon being born after raping some girl. I was looking at quite possibly the most unique being in existence, and now I had to kill him.

I stood at the bedside, standing over his sleeping form, trying to settle my suddenly shaky nerves. Would I be considered a murderer after this? He had human blood after all. Obviously. Full demons only vaguely resembled actual humans. His humanity screamed out to me every time I watched his chest rise and fall. But then I looked at his white ears, and my eyes burned. _NO_! He was a demon too! That was enough!

Stepping closer, my heart pounding, I raised my trembling blade over my head, poised to strike his heart. I could do this! I _WOULD_!

Then I heard a single word as something solid slammed into the back of my head.

"_NO_!" It said.

Dazed, the pain in my head turned into a numbness that spread through my entire body. I felt myself falling to my knees next to the form of Inuyasha, my vision dimming. Kagome. I had taken her way to lightly. The last thing I saw as I fell into oblivion was a pair of golden eyes, peering down at me. Gold...?

* * *

Kagome, not about to let Sango kill someone in her house, let alone someone she was starting to feel something for, had used Sango's dismissal of her to grab an old marble Buddha statue sitting on her moms dresser. Seeing her chance, she had struck, praying one blow would do it.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Sango slowly fell to her knees, dropping her knife as she lost consciousness. Inuyasha still hadn't made a sound. His eyes just calmly opened and looked down at the fallen woman as he sat up in the bed. He had been awake the whole time!

Oh my god._ Oh my god!_ I couldn't believe this was happening! I had been holding out hope I could maybe reason with her. Perhaps come to an understanding. But when she had held up that thin blade and stood over Inuyasha, I had done the only thing I could.

Looking at the weighty statue I still held in my trembling hand, I dropped it to the floor, hearing it land with a thud. I stood there for a while, just staring at the fallen woman on the floor. _'What would I do now?'_ I thought frantically.

I hadn't realized I had spoken out loud until Inuyasha calmly looked at me, answering. "You might want to see if she will live. That was quite a hit Kagome." He grinned.

_'The idiot! How could he grin at a time like this?!'_ I fumed.

"A lot of help YOU were Inuyasha! If you were awake, why didn't you do something?! You could have been killed, you moron!" I railed. I was starting to feel better. Yelling at Inuyasha seemed to have a therapeutic affect on me.

His eyes had grown large at my rant, his ears laid back like I they were weathering a storm. That passed quickly though as annoyance flashed on his face. "Well, At least I know not to let a _killer_ with a _sword_ in just because they pretend to be the police! What were you _thinking_, letting her come inside in the first place?!"

How had he heard?! Of course, his ears; apparently his dog-ears weren't just for looks. Ears jutting forward aggressively, eyes burning, he didn't even let me respond.

"And for your information, I was pretending to be asleep because I'm in no condition to fight someone! I was about to grab her when you hit her. At least you did that much! What is wrong with you?!" He finished. I'm not sure, but I don't think he took a breath that whole time.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had tried so hard! And I had almost gotten him killed! I felt like dirt. I felt hot tears slide down my face and I slumped down where I was, sitting on the floor crying. I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

HAH! That'll show her. I thought smugly as I finished my tirade. The part about the reason I slept had been mostly true. I couldn't have fought the way I was now. I could feel my wounds, and I knew if I moved around quickly they would probably re-open.

The reason I had left out, was the fact that I didn't like hitting girls. I had pretended to be asleep even when I heard Sango enter the room, praying Kagome would do something so I wouldn't have to hurt the woman.

When I finished talking, I stared at her, ready for her comeback. Instead she had just stared at me with those large eyes of hers, while tears formed in them. _Oh crap_. Seeing her slump down crying softly, I suddenly wished Sango had stabbed me after all. It almost felt like she had stabbed me, as I looked at the tears on Kagome's cheeks.

"I'm sorry." I said desperately trying to get her to stop. She only cried harder. "Kagome," I swallowed.

Gritting my teeth, I got out of bed, stepping over Sango, I came to Kagome's side, falling rather than sitting down next to her on the floor.

"Inu-" Kagome began in alarm, worried about my wounds.

Trapping her hands between mine, I looked into her startled expression. "Kagome, please don't cry. I'm sorry. I-, ahem!" It was suddenly hard to speak. "It's my fault; all you have done is help me out, and all I have done, is make your life harder." Reaching up, I cupped her face with my palm, my pulse quickening when she leaned into my hand. "I was just worried. Nothing was your fault. You did a great job! Who could've guessed you where this strong?" I added wryly, grinning.

Seeing her smiling at me radiantly, I felt warmth I had never felt before spread through me. Good, mission accomplished. No more crying. Suddenly, I realized the warmth wasn't just from watching her smile. It seemed wet. Blood? The pain from my wounds exploded suddenly. Shit! A couple must have re-opened.

I struggled to get up, hoping to make it to the bed before I passed out again. The last thing I saw as I blacked out was Kagome's frightened face as I fell towards her.

"Inuyasha? _Inuyasha_!" I heard, somewhere far away.

* * *

_**To be Continued...**_


	14. Chapter 14 The Power of NO

**Chapter 14:**

Inuyasha, overcome by his injuries, had fainted into Kagome's surprised arms. Outside, the rain picked up, thundering onto the house creating a rhythmic soothing background noise the girl inside didn't even notice at the moment.

Struggling with his body, Kagome managed to get him back into the bed without too much trouble. After careful consideration, Kagome ran through the rain to the shed outside, retrieving a length of strong rope. Returning, she soon had the unconscious Sango tied up where she lay on the floor in her mother's room.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Tying the last knot around Sango's ankles, I settled back on my heels and regarded my handiwork. Sango lay slumped up against the wall beneath the closed window, her hands and feet bound up with the best knots I knew how to make. Which weren't all that great, I had to admit, but hopefully they would hold.

Luckily hitting her on her head with the marble idol had only knocked her out. 'I could have killed her by accident' I thought with self-loathing. I couldn't make myself worry about her that much though. After all, she had just tricked her way into my house, bossed me around, and tried to kill Inuyasha!

_Inuyasha_.

With a sigh, I rose and went to the bed, sitting down next to Inuyasha's form. Taking the blanket, which had slipped down below his chest again, I covered him up to his neck again. He had started to twist and moan again in his sleep. Which was bad news as far as I was concerned.

He was mumbling something in his sleep. Putting my hand on his forehead, I smoothed back a lock of silvery hair. I didn't really need to, it just seemed that somewhere along the line, I had become used to being in contact with him. It made me feel better.

It was strange. Before when I touched him, I would get little tingles, and my blood would race. It was different now; when I touched him recently, it seemed like my pulse slowed, and I felt calm. Yet at the same time, my heart seemed to pound a little harder, but slower in my chest. It really was the strangest feeling I had ever experienced. As soon as my hand rested on his forehead, he quieted again sleeping peacefully once more.

I still couldn't figure him out! He had refused to move until the very last while he was in danger, yet as soon as I had started crying he had almost killed himself trying to make me feel better! Literally! What had he been thinking?!

"Idiot." I whispered as I leaned lower until our foreheads were touching. I wished his eyes were open.

"Of course." Sango's weary voice chuckled behind me.

Whipping around quickly and springing to my feet, I looked on as Sango groggily lifted her head to regard me, a slight smirk on her face. "I should have realized why you were helping him sooner." She rasped at me, "You're his lover."

Feeling my face burn up, I shook my head quickly. "Don't be ridiculous!" I scoffed. "I just met him yesterday! I'm helping him because he is sweet, and he needs it." I couldn't keep the tender tone out of my voice as I glanced down at him as I said that. My hand twitched as I felt a sudden desire to touch his face, or a hand, anything. But I couldn't. Not in front of her.

"Sweet?!" Sango said incredulously. "You have no idea what these things are capable of! Trust me! I know. Your... _friend..._ may seem to be acting sweet now, but he is half-demon! _Half_-_**DEMON**_." She emphasized.

Well, someone here was obviously prejudiced. "Who cares?!" I shot back. "Damn straight he is sweet! A-and brave too. He is here healing from _three_ gun wounds because he wanted to protect me! He stopped two guys from raping me! Did you know _that_?!" I railed into her suddenly blank expression.

I wasn't done. "That is all I care about. He passed out again just now because his wounds re-opened while trying to make _me_ feel better! Where do _**you**_ get off coming into _**MY**_ house trying to kill _**MY**_ friend because of who his parents were?! **BIGOT**!" I stopped, breathing hard. My throat had gone a little raw from all my screaming. She deserved it though! Telling me my Inuyasha wasn't to be trusted.

_**MY** Inu Yasha?'_ I thought in awe as I turned my head to gaze down at him again. I couldn't tell even to myself whether I meant as a friend or as something more. But I would find out, and until then I _wasn't_ going to let him get away from me! I determined fiercely.

Sango had grown quiet. When I finished, she just stared past me at Inuyasha, her eyes lost in thought. _'Well, I guess she didn't feel like arguing anymore.'_ I thought, a little relieved.

"I'm getting us some food. If I hear any trouble in here you'll be sorry!" I threatened, knowing there really wasn't much I could do to _make_ her sorry, except maybe eat food in front of her. I really didn't have the heart to hurt her more than I already had. But she didn't have to know that.

She still hadn't responded when I made my way out, headed for the kitchen. I had to hurry though; I didn't want to leave those two alone in the same room for very long. It was too dangerous.

* * *

As Kagome ran downstairs to prepare something to eat for the three of them, Sango sat and thought about Kagome's words. Meanwhile, Inuyasha drifted back to consciousness.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

The world came back into focus slowly. I was on my back in the bed again, staring up at the white plaster of the rooms ceiling. Crap, Kagome was getting way too much experience moving my unconscious body around the house. It was getting a bit silly.

I felt another presence in the room. Damn I hated being this weak. Never again! Once I was out of this house and back on the streets, I wouldn't make another friend like Kagome again. I mean, look what had happened this time. Kagome had almost gotten killed along with me, all because of what I was. I wouldn't be able to leave with her watching though. I didn't think I could.

Every time I got near her, it was like I gave up the controls to my brain and handed them over to her. If she asked me again to stay, with her brown eyes catching mine, I didn't think I would be able to say 'no' to her. It was a strange power she had over me. Thinking back I couldn't think of an instance were I had really said no to her, over anything she had truly wanted. It was a scary thought that sent shivers down my spine. I would leave when she was asleep or something. The thought hurt me, which was itself proof that I had stayed too long.

"Kagome?" I croaked out weakly, before I remembered the presence I felt could have been someone else.

"No." Sango's voice responded. Turning my head wearily, I regarded my newest enemy. I seemed to pick them up as easily as breathing. Sango was pretty. In fact in a small way, she sort of resembled the way Kagome might look in five or so years.

There were differences of course. Kagome was a natural beauty, while Sango used make-up. Sango was all business while Kagome was casual. Plus, the Kagome I knew had a quality about her that elevated her above anyone else I had seen as far as attractiveness went. It was something I was still trying to figure out.

"So, your Sango." I stated.

"So, I'm Sango." She agreed, not looking away from me. Her eyes were different than Kagome's. I felt no danger of getting lost in Sango's pretty brown eyes. It came as a relief.

"I know you still want to kill me, Sango. I can smell it, you know." I confided in her.

"So?" she chuckled. "I wasn't trying to hide it." She said grinning at me.

"Why? I heard you're a demon killer. But I'm part human. What did I do that was so bad?" I really wanted to know the answer to this one. I flashed back to Kouga and his friend. Had they died? Was I a murderer now? _'Good.'_ I thought with a certain satisfaction. I hoped they were. I could live with the consequences.

"Because, deep down you are a beast, and sooner or later, you _will_ kill innocent people. It's what your kind do." She stated flatly. I smelled something else on her. Grief? After she said that, I immediately felt guilty about my satisfaction that had come with the thought that Kouga was dead. Put in Sango's light, it now seemed like a traitorous part of myself I hadn't even known was there.

"I smell grief on you. Was that dip-shit Kouga your boyfriend? Or the other guy?" I reasoned. "Don't expect me to feel sorry for you if they were. You should have seen what they were about to do." Images of the showdown in the ally the day before played through my mind.

I had guessed wrong. "Hardly." She said, looking at me with amusement, grinning a little. At least she seemed to have a lighter side. It was a start. She seemed much nicer when she wasn't scowling or trying to kill me, I discovered.

"So what then? My kind? I haven't even _met_ another demon." I asked reasonably.

She sighed deeply, the amusement leaving her face. "Why are you here, Inuyasha? Why are you staying in Kagome's house?" So she was going to ignore my question. Oh well, I hadn't really expected an answer anyway.

"I... I was hungry." I admitted. Seeing her scowl, I hurried on. "Not for _flesh_! Food! You know, normal stuff. I was hoping no one was home, so..." And I told her. Once I had started, I told Sango everything that had happened up until now.

I don't know why I opened up to her like that, maybe it was because she was my enemy, and I knew it didn't matter what I told her. Maybe it was just so I could get it straight in my head after hearing myself describe it out loud. Or maybe I just wanted her to understand, to not be my enemy any longer. I was tired of making enemies.

Sango turned out to be an amazing listener. Asking occasional questions to straighten something out, providing an insight here and there. If she was this good to an enemy, she must be a great friend. And I told her so.

At that she smiled at me. "Not really. I haven't really had the chance to get friends in my line of work. I guess my psychiatrist has rubbed off on me." There it was again, that sharp spike of grief. An opening.

"Why a psychiatrist? What happened to you? I can smell your sorrow again." I dared to ask.

"It's not important! Stop asking me about it." She flared at me, her eyes collecting a bit of moisture in them.

Quickly I remembered what had triggered her grief before. She had said something about demons killing innocent people. Now it appeared again when she had mentioned friends and her psychiatrist. Of course, why else would she be in the demon killing business?

"So, A demon did something nasty to someone you know, and now you hate all of them." I concluded out loud.

Her face paled showing shock so profound I was amazed she hadn't fainted. _Bingo_! Her mouth worked but no sound came. Tears really had started forming in her eyes. Oh crap! Not again! How could I get two girls crying in one day?! I couldn't get out of bed, not this time. Besides, she wasn't Kagome.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Sango. At least now I know why you hate me." I said, genuinely relieved. I hated not knowing why people hated me. I always felt better after learning the reason.

"Don't give me your pity!" She spat, as tears fell freely down her cheeks.

"Fine! I won't." I snorted. "I wasn't pitying you anyway. It was just a sad story, that's all." Then I thought of something. "I have a proposal for you. Will you listen?"

Cheeks still wet, her eyes red, she looked down at the ropes holding her. "I guess I will." She said to me sarcastically.

"Give me a head start once I've recovered before you start hunting me again." I said.

She looked at me, confused. "Huh?"

"Look, I have never killed anyone, ok? Never!" I was actually pretty proud of it. It would be really easy if I tried. "Unless those two in the ally are dead?" I asked, suddenly worried about my perfect record.

Sango just shook her head, staring at me like I had grown a third arm. Good. I thought, relieved, even while in the back of my head, a voice screamed DAMN!

"Ok! So look, if I agree to free you, will you agree to not kill me until I am healed and safely away from Kagome and her house?" If we had to fight, I wanted it far away from Kagome. She deserved that much at least.

Sango frowned, her face in deep thought for a moment while she mulled it over. Slowly, finally, she made up her mind. "Deal. If this is a trick though...!" She left the threat hanging. I wasn't too worried about her breaking the deal.

She just didn't seem like the type. Besides, even if she did manage to kill me, I almost welcomed it. I doubted I would be able to tell the difference between being dead and alive anyway. There wouldn't be a Kagome. That was probably the only thing I would miss.

"_NO_!" Kagome shouted from the doorway, causing both of us to whip our heads around to stare at her.

I couldn't believe I hadn't heard her coming! Then I realized that I _had_ heard her coming, but had filtered the sound out as safe, since it belonged to _her_. A cold hand gripped my heart. This was bad! I needed to get out of here before she really got to me! _'To late.'_ A mocking voice cackled in my mind.

Kagome stood there with a tray filled with food, glaring at us both like we were children caught with our hands in the cookie jar. "Inuyasha! How could you make such a stupid deal?! _IF_ we release Sango, she has to agree to _never_ hunt you again!"

God she was beautiful. I felt myself staring, and shaking my head, I squeezed my eyes shut to stop it. No! This was too important; it was for her safety!

"Sorry Kagome." I said with a grin, opening my eyes to look at her again. "We already made the deal. Now, can you untie her? I'm not sure I can right now."

"No way! You made the deal, not me." She said smugly, thinking she had won.

Sango had grown a chagrinned look on her face.

"Well, guess I'll have to do it myself then!" I said defiantly. Gathering myself together I sat up, the pain in my stomach was especially nasty this time.

"Wait! Your wounds!" Kagome cried, coming into the room, setting the food on the bed.

I huffed, nearly passing out again as I did so. "These? These are just about healed!" I bragged, as I started to move my legs out of the bed, sending a fresh wave of pure hurt from my hip.

Kagome had a hunted look on her face. Poor girl. I knew she couldn't win this one. "Ok! Damn it! _FINE_! Just lay yourself back down before you kill yourself! _Stupid_!" She cried, defeated.

_HAH_! I settled back down again in with a sigh of relief. Score one for me! Okay, I think that made it Kagome: 1000, me: 1. Getting up had tired me out more than I had thought. Drifting to sleep, I watched as Kagome untied Sango's ropes.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	15. Chapter 15 The Great Misunderstanding

**Chapter 15:**

As Inuyasha drifted off to sleep, Kagome was left to carry out his wish. Reluctantly, she started unbinding the ropes holding Sango.

_**Sango's perspective:**_

I was having a hard time with this situation. As Kagome knelt down next to me, untying the knots she had made, one question kept shooting through my brain. _Why_? Why would he strike up a bargain that would allow the people I worked with and I to hunt him down? Kagome had been right, why hadn't he made a deal that stopped the hunt all together? Well at least I knew the answer to that one. I think he knew I would never agree to that.

Finished with the last knot around my ankles, Kagome sighed resignedly, sitting down across from me on the floor.

"Well, there you go. You're free." She said, obviously put out by the whole situation.

I was about to respond, when looking at her made everything suddenly very clear. It was because of her! The only reason Inuyasha had made this stupid bargain was so there wouldn't be a way to involve Kagome in the fight! I mean honestly, the only one to really benefit from it was Kagome.

Inuyasha might have needed a little time to heal before he fought, but it probably wasn't that much time considering his demonic heritage; maybe half a week or less. By the time I left and brought back support, he would be in fighting shape again.

As for me, I would have gotten free eventually. The other exterminators would look for me if I didn't show up, so I hadn't needed to agree to anything.

So only Kagome would win. There would be no danger to her since we wouldn't fight around her. Her nice house wouldn't be damaged in the clash.

Now that I had thought about it in more depth, it amazed me how deeply Inuyasha seemed to care for Kagome. Apparently, his attitude towards her had started almost immediately since they had first met yesterday, if his story was to be believed. Demons didn't care for others like he had. Most of them literally couldn't, they just didn't have it in them. Even when they mated, it was almost always an alliance to bring about a child demon to increase their ranks for strength.

That was when I made up my mind. "Kagome," I started.

Kagome's head came up at her name, focusing on me; she had been thinking quietly the whole time. "What?" she asked.

"I have a deal for you," I said slowly, picking my words carefully.

"A deal?" She asked in surprise. "A deal like the one you made with Inuyasha?" She sighed bitterly. "If so, forget it! He might as well have given himself to you on a silver platter! For nothing!"

I smiled to myself, Kagome hadn't seen the real reason he had made the deal yet. She was too focused on her worry for him. I was willing to bet the reason she thought he had made the deal, was to give himself a chance to heal and a head start. Well, I couldn't blame her for thinking that way; it was what I had thought at first too.

"I am going to tell my people he is not a danger." I explained.

Kagome just looked at me, her eyes round. "You're... what?" She asked in wonder.

"On two conditions!" I stressed. "The first, is if I hear that he has killed someone, I will come for him, if he is with you or not." I held up my index finger and stared hard into Kagome's eyes, the seriousness in my tone coming through strong and clear.

"Like he would do _that_." She snorted, crossing her arms.

I tended to agree with her, but that wasn't the point. The point was he had demon blood, and if he started getting violent, he would have to be put down. _'Like a mad dog'_ I thought with a little amusement, thinking of his ears.

"The second," I continued, not responding to her comment. "Is I must be allowed to watch him for a period of time, to make sure this wasn't all just a convincing act. That means I stay in the same house, I get to know him, I go where he goes." I couldn't tell her about another reason for me staying near him. I wanted to. He truly was unique.

There was something about Inuyasha that made me want to be close to him. I was pretty sure it wasn't love. I didn't think so anyway. I knew I was certainly attracted to him! But no, the most important reason was his demon blood. I _had_ to know if he really was as good as it seemed, even with the monster inside him.

"_**WHAT**_?!" She yelped, as something close to panic rushed across her face.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry! I will give you both plenty of space, and you two will have plenty of time alone together." I promised, knowing most of her panic came from her feelings for him.

"N-no! That's not what I..." She stuttered, a very deep red blush coming to her cheeks. Wow, it was amazing she was trying to deny it. I wondered if she had something against falling in love. Well, I was no one to throw stones. I'd been down that road before, myself.

"All I mean," I pressed, interrupting her, "is I stay close enough for awhile to get to know both of you, so I can make sure I'm not being tricked. And to make sure that as soon as I leave for good he doesn't go out on a rampage or something." I said persuasively.

She thought for a while. "And if I say no?"

I shrugged. "Well, then as soon as Inu Yasha leaves here, we do our best to kill him. If you say no now, you might as well be admitting to me that he isn't what he seems." I said nonchalantly.

"So, if I agree, you go tell your friends to call it all off, and he is never hunted again?" She asked, looking at me intently.

"Right." I confirmed. "_If_ I am satisfied he isn't a danger." I clarified. I had already decided that the chances were he wasn't, or I never would have brought this up at all. But that was my secret.

Kagome breathed out slowly, her eyes closed. "Alright. It's a deal. You can stay in my brothers' room, I suppose. How long are you staying?"

I laughed to myself. She had asked that last question in the same tone she might have used if she had asked 'when are you leaving?'

I shrugged, looking at Inuyasha. "That depends on him. If he really is as good as you keep saying, it won't take long at all." I speculated.

Kagome grinned at me, warming her whole face. "You know, my family will be back in three and a half weeks. I don't think they would like finding people sleeping in their beds." She teased.

"Well," I said seriously, "in that case, how long where you thinking of keeping _him_ here?" I asked, nodding towards the sleeping Hanyou.

She stared at me, unable to come up with a reply. Shrugging, not really expecting one, I got up, enjoying standing up once more. That girl could tie a knot! "Well, I'm going to honor my part of the bargain. I have to pick up a few of my things for my stay here. I will be back later." I threw back over my shoulder as I left the room, on my way outside.

I laughed to myself. It was almost like a sleepover when I was a kid. Except this one would be with two people that didn't really want me over.

* * *

Hours passed. Kagome spent the time taking a shower, cleaning up, talking to friends on the phone, and writing an essay on history due the next day. The morning passed into afternoon, then to late afternoon, and still Inuyasha slept. Kagome began to wonder what had become of Sango.

Finally, the day fading to night, Sango came back with a bag filled with her personal items. Showing her in, Kagome took her to her brother's room, settling her in. Sango immediately went to the master bedroom, to watch Inuyasha. Kagome was not pleased, so she followed Sango in, not yet willing to trust her alone with Inuyasha.

Finally, Inuyasha woke up once more.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the absence of pain. Now my wounds only ached. That was a relief; next time I would have to think twice about getting shot so many times, I reflected ruefully. The next thing I noticed was that someone was talking about me.

"And then, he kneed the bastard right in the chin and knocked him out!" The voice was very close: right next to me as a matter of fact. I was on my side, facing away from Kagome and Sango, so they couldn't see me open my eyes. Something was stroking the base of my ears, which felt very good. Kagome, I thought with an inner smile, content to pretend to sleep for now. A little distance away, Sango's voice spoke up.

"He did more than just knock him out." Her voice sounded amused. "From the police reports, the guy is paralyzed from a spinal injury; he may never regain feeling below his neck again." I felt guilt like icy tendrils shoot down my spine. Damn, that sucked. It would have been better if I had just killed him. Kagome's hand stopped moving on my head. There was silence in the room as Kagome absorbed this.

"Good." Kagome said fiercely. I felt my mouth drop at that. Apparently, Sango was as surprised as I was.

"Kagome, I know he did some terrible things, but..." Sango started to say reproachfully.

"No Sango, you weren't there." Kagome interrupted, emotion shaking her voice. "You have no idea how powerless I felt. While one of them held me, the other one beat the shit out of me. When I could barely move any more, they started to strip me." I could hear her choke back a sob softly as she continued. "Can you imagine that Sango? Can you imagine watching someone get shot in front of you, then have them turn on you with lust on their face?"

I felt Kagome's hand leave my head, and travel down, where she clenched my arm with a trembling hand. There was another long pause. "No." Sango said at last. "I'm sorry, Kagome. That must have been terrible."

Kagome laughed through her tears, hiccupping slightly. "Its okay. I just can't feel bad about that guy getting what he deserves, that's all."

"Anyway," Kagome continued, her voice getting stronger, "Without Inuyasha, I wouldn't be here now." The hand holding my arm squeezed me.

"That isn't true." I said. Reaching around, I took her hand in mine as I turned onto my back, sitting up.

"Oh!" Kagome squeaked in surprise at seeing me awake.

Her cheeks colored again in that way I was starting to love. She had pulled up her black hair into a loose bun on her head, showing her neck off more. All that combined with her very brown eyes and suddenly very kissable looking lips, paralyzed me for a moment.

"Why is that, Inuyasha?" Sango asked.

Both Kagome and I gave a little jump, the trance broken.

Letting go of her hand in embarrassment, I cleared my throat. Looking over at Sango, who was grinning widely, I explained. "Those guys had been chasing me since the day before. Without me, Kagome wouldn't have been in any trouble in the first place." Sango already knew that, but I hadn't told Kagome yet.

Taking a deep breath, I turned back to Kagome who was looking at me in confusion. I suddenly determined to do it, break it off. Right then. I _could_ do it! I thought, trying to brace myself. This would hurt me a whole lot more than it would hurt her, I was sure. "That's why I am leaving, tonight." I said, seriously.

Kagome's eyes narrowed, anger creeping into them while her eyebrows lowered, her nose scrunching up slightly. "_What_?" She said in a low threatening voice.

To the side, Sango started to warn me. "Um, Inuyasha..."

Ignoring them both, I hurried on not wanting to lose my momentum and risk my resolve breaking. "That's the way it has to be!" I said forcefully, trying to force Kagome to understand with my will alone. "As long as I'm with you, you'll be in danger, just because of me being what I am. Sango proved that to me. My wounds are mostly healed. See?"

I proved it by twisting around, working my mostly healed shoulder to prove it. I hardly felt any pain at all now. Enough to make me wish I hadn't tried to prove it, but that was enough.

"What?!" Kagome said again, sounding outraged. "Inuyasha..." She growled. She was about to yell at me. I wasn't going to let her. I needed to get this out!

"So that's it! I am going. _Tonight_." I said with finality. I wished it didn't have to be like this, but some people weren't meant to lead a normal life. My mother had told me that once. "Remember Sango, you promised to give me a head start at least." I reminded Sango without looking at her. I wasn't sure she answered me or not; I was too focused on what Kagome would say.

"_IDIOT_!" Kagome shouted.

I expected a lot of things from her, but not the full-armed slap that sent my face into the wall, where I rebounded to fall onto my back on the bed like a popped basketball. It hadn't hurt. But I was a bit dazed, as I stared up at the ceiling, a little shocked Kagome had it in her to be so rough. I was a little impressed too.

Before I had even settled, Kagome leaped on top of me, straddling my waist while she put all her weight into her hands that pressed each of my shoulders down into the bed. Grunting from the weight on my almost healed wound, I stared up at Kagome's enraged face as she glared down at me. "Listen to me you..." She started.

Getting pissed myself, I interrupted, as I started to sit back up. "What the hell was _that_ for..." I was stopped when she slapped me again, harder, while she pushed me down again. "_**DAMN IT**_!" I snarled, "You had better stop that, or I'm going to--!"

I was interrupted again, but not by Kagome. The silver blade that had suddenly appeared stopped me, poised at my throat. Sango was at the other end of it, staring down at me with a blank expression on her face. "Stop it, Inuyasha," she said calmly.

My mind started racing. Kagome getting tough with me was one thing, but Sango, still here and armed, threatening me? What the hell? Suddenly I wondered what had happened while I was sleeping. I had gone through a lifetime of betrayal followed by let down. Them making a deal to hand me over to Sango suddenly became very believable to me. I mean, how long had I known Kagome, a day and a half? Had they decided to betray me after all?

Not moving a muscle, I looked up at Kagome's face, feeling more betrayed than I had ever felt. Not even my brother had hurt me this much when he had started beating me after our mother died. So, her entire attitude had been an act?! I thought in amazement and grief.

"Listen to me," Kagome started to say again, her anger changing to a confused expression as she looked down at me.

I interrupted her again, not willing to listen to her reasons for her betrayal. I suddenly felt very tired. "Kagome, did you and Sango--? I never thought you would--" I stopped, suddenly choking. My throat felt like it had Sango's silver dagger in it already.

I hadn't cried since I was seven years old, but I felt like crying now. I wouldn't though. I had sworn to myself I wouldn't back then, all those years ago, and I wouldn't go back on that resolve now. "At least Sango never hid the fact she wanted me dead, but _YOU_!" I grated.

This was worse that losing a friend. This was finding out I had never had a friend at all. I wanted to howl. I tensed up, ready to burst into movement if Sango dared to remove her dagger.

* * *

Kagome and Sango were both shocked at Inuyasha's huge leap of logic. They both suddenly realized how dangerous Inuyasha could really be.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Inuyasha's betrayed accusation echoed in my mind, freezing me for a second. I have never seen anyone as hurt as Inuyasha looked at that moment. I swear I could actually see the wall he was already putting up behind his golden eyes. It pierced me to the core at the thought that I was losing him, right then. How could he think I had betrayed him somehow?! I thought frantically, knowing everything depended on me figuring it out before he could draw any more wrong conclusions. _'Think!'_ I shouted to myself.

I replayed the last few moments in my mind; I had hit him, knowing how tough he was, completely frustrated and enraged that he had decided to leave without having given a second thought to how I thought about it. I was so mad at the thought that he had decided for himself how much danger I could be allowed to be in. It was my choice, not his! The thought of him leaving me had really hurt, which had added strength to my slap.

I remembered seeing his angry face, but that was normal, and I had expected that. Then Sango's knife had come. I had actually been grateful to Sango, for stopping whatever Inuyasha had been about to do. He could have tossed me across the room if he had really wanted to. He was so stubborn! I was just trying to get him to listen! That was when his expression had changed to the wounded one he had on now.

The knife! He must have figured my slap was just to distract him while Sango moved in! Inuyasha's hurt expression was beginning to change to a cold one as I watched, while his body turned to steel underneath me as he tensed. _God_ he was strong, I couldn't help but marvel. I was almost out of time!

Not knowing what else to do, I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, falling across him completely, hugging him as tight as I could. Luckily Sango was quick enough to take her dagger away before I cut myself on it. I was just wearing a loose shirt with shorts, while Inuyasha was only wearing shorts and bandages. Any other time, this much contact would have driven me wild.

With my cheek pressed against his, I started talking as fast as I possibly could, whispering for his ears alone, knowing his sharp hearing wouldn't miss a word. Now it was my turn to not let him get a word in.

"I would never betray you, InuYasha. _Never_! Don't ever say something like that again. Don't even _think_ it! Sango thought you were going to hurt me; she was just trying to help! I just need you to listen to me! You will _not_ leave me! **I** will decide how much danger I am in. Do you hear me?! **I** decide!! How could you think so little of me, not to even give me a _choice_?! I want you here. You will stay here! _This_ is your home for now. Understand?! Until I decide otherwise, _this_ is where you belong! If there is danger in being around you, I choose to accept it! Get that through your thick _stupid_ skull! You can protect me, but don't you _**ever**_ think you can make my decisions for me! If you try that again, you will think my last slap was a _**kiss**_!"

I finally ran out of breath. I had never put so much heart into something I'd said before. I felt drained. I realized that I didn't need to say anymore. Some time during my speech, Inuyasha's body had softened again, and his arms were around my waist, hugging me tight.

His body shivered underneath mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't guess at, until he softly spoke into my ear; filled with relief. "I was so afraid you had pretended everything. With the knife a-and everything, I thought..." He didn't finish. He just gripped me tighter, his face pressed into my neck.

Loosening my grip around his neck, I eased off him a little, staring into his incredible golden-amber eyes. Placing my palms on each side of his head, I leaned down, still looking him in the eyes. Our lips brushed, barely touching at all.

"Never." I whispered at his mouth, my breath mixing with his, spoken so softly he probably felt it more than he heard it.

"Kagome," Sango said wearily, causing both our eyes to pop. "Didn't you tell me just this morning you _weren't_ his lover?"

I felt embarrassment shoot through me straight down to my toes, as my focus expanded again to encompass the room. Damn, I had completely forgotten Sango was in the room! Still locked in our embrace, looking into each other's eyes, I watched as blood rushed to Inuyasha's cheeks, even as I felt my face mirror his. This close to each other, it was hard to speak.

Pushing myself off of him, I rolled away, sitting up and facing Sango, who had a bemused expression on her face. I was sitting towards the end of the bed now, my back to Inuyasha. I sensed him as he sat back up to sit with his back to the wall. "We aren't. It's not what it looks like." I mumbled, wishing I could sink through the floor.

"So," Sango sighed, "Are you two done throwing fits?" She asked in a weary tone of voice. She looked from me to Inuyasha, an eyebrow raised expectantly. Behind me, Inuyasha cleared his throat, like he did when he was having trouble saying something.

"I guess I am staying, for a little while." He said quietly.

Relief and warmth spread through me in rippling waves when I heard that, followed by another shot of embarrassment as I remembered how I had just convinced him. I felt his gaze on my back, but I refused to turn around. What had I been thinking?! It had felt so natural; I had just acted without thought.

"Sango, why are you still here, anyway?" He asked curiously. "And armed?" He added, with a sour note.

"I have decided to stick around, to make sure you are what you seem." She explained bluntly. I felt the tension rise in the room as I watched Sango stare past me, obviously matching stares with Inuyasha.

"And Kagome is okay with you sticking around like this?" Inuyasha asked finally in slight disbelief.

Sango smiled, looking at me. "We have come to an understanding."

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, his tone begging for an answer.

Feeling myself become the center of attention once more, I stood up, walking to the window looking out. The rain was still falling, tendrils of water flowed down the outside of the window in crazy streaks, making it hard to see outside. It was getting dark.

"I had to Inuyasha. Sango said she would leave you alone forever if I allowed this." I said finally, turning around to look at him.

His long silver hair bunched up wildly around him, his white dog-ears, barely visible in the mess, perked up as he listened, while he stared at me with his golden eyes that always seemed to see right through me.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, making eye contact again.

I loved doing that; it was becoming easier and easier the longer I knew him. My heart beat harder in my chest, enjoying the invisible contact. Slowly, Inu Yasha nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I do." He said slowly.

"Good!" I sang happily. "Now, it's getting dark; anyone want some dinner?" I asked, eagerly.

I took a certain pride in my cooking, which was why I always tried to be the one to do the cooking for the family, when my mom was too tired. I sometimes dreamed about being the head chef at an expensive restaurant, and grow famous because of my great dishes. Yeah right. No one seemed to really like my cooking, not even my grandpa; who had the least amount of taste buds. Oh everyone ate what I cooked quickly enough, but they did it like it was a chore, rather than something they loved.

Which was why, when Inuyasha looked at me like I had descended from the heavens at the mention of food, I grew just as excited.

"Sounds good!" he said excitedly, jumping up from the bed.

Sango merely nodded politely.

_'Yes! Someone new to cook for.'_ I thought eagerly, as I lead them downstairs.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	16. Chapter 16 School!

**Chapter 16:**

Following Kagome downstairs for a meal, Inuyasha and Sango sat in two of the tables' four chairs, watching as Kagome hummed to herself as she cooked. Inuyasha began telling the two girls a few details about his past, after a little prodding from Kagome.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

Having put on a t-shirt owned by Kagome's grandfather, I sat at the kitchen table, Sango sitting on my right, talking while watching Kagome move about the kitchen. She seemed energized in a way I hadn't seen in her before. At least talking and watching kept me from thinking of my stomach, which growled from time to time as I smelt what she was cooking. I couldn't wait!

"So after all that, I still ended up with all of the dealers clothes, and a pocket full of money." I laughed, telling them about the time when I had hustled a drug dealer out of everything he had on him.

I decided they didn't need to know about the aftermath, when he had found me a few days later and had me killed, or so he thought: I wasn't looking for sympathy. Kagome had stopped preparing whatever it was she had been making, and was staring at me with wide eyes. Sango, a little worldlier, simply laughed while shaking her head in disbelief.

"So what did you do with the drugs?" Kagome asked in wonder.

"Oh those? I threw them away somewhere." I lied, not meeting her eyes.

If I told her that the guy I tricked took it back from me later, I would have to explain about the beating and worse that happened right after. They didnt have to know. For some reason Kagome looked at me strangely, before turning back to what she was making. Looking at her back, I felt ashamed for some reason, as though I had disappointed her in some way. I shook that off with an inward shake: I wasnt going to bring my world into hers, if I could help it.

Sango was also looking at me oddly, with a thoughtful look on her face. "I have been meaning to ask you, have you ever gone to school? Like home schooled or even a private school when you were a child?" Sango asked after a pause, looking at me intently.

That question startled me, I had never even thought of something like that before. A distant memory of my mother teaching me the alphabet and sign language a little before she had died surfaced as I thought about it. That must be what she meant. Obviously I couldn't go to a real school.

"Well, my mother used to teach me some things." I said slowly. Memories from my childhood rushed through me when I thought about it. Those had been happy days; my brother and I had gotten along then, my father, whom I didn't find out until much later wasn't my real father, hadn't left us yet.

My eyes stung and I shook my head as I snapped back to reality. I guess I had been thinking about it for a while, because I suddenly realized there was a heap of food in front of me, and I had completely ignored it. Chicken with rice and steamed vegetables with all manner of side dishes lay ready. My mouth started watering and I closed my mouth tight so I wouldn't drool.

"Wow!" I exclaimed happily. "This looks great Kagome!" this was the most food I had seen up close in years!

Kagome sat across from me, looking at me with an eyebrow raised, a wide smile across her face. "Then why aren't you eating?" She asked. I couldn't believe no one had touched it! _'I will fix that right now!_' I thought eagerly, digging in with my hands.

Idly I wondered why Sango had seemed interested in whether I had gone to school or not.

* * *

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Sitting across from Inuyasha, I watched as he started stuffing food into his mouth again. I shuddered as I watched. Yeah, this was definitely not Inuyasha at his most attractive. Suddenly he stopped, looking between Sango and I, who had been watching Inuyasha in much the same way I had been: disgusted awe.

Perhaps noticing our stares, Inuyasha suddenly stopped eating, Looking down at his plate while his face reddened. His ears on top of his head had suddenly frozen, giving slight twitches. Still not looking up from were he sat looking at the food he had piled on his plate, he picked up the chopsticks, awkwardly using them to take small bites of his food. His ears drooped down, but his face took on an intense look as he focused on using the utensil.

I felt sympathy rise in me in waves as I watched him fumble, trying to get food in his mouth with the two slim sticks. Poor guy! He was trying so hard. I decided not to comment on it, it would be too embarrassing for him.

"Why did you ask about his school, Sango?" I asked, hoping to take the attention away from Inuyasha's problem.

Besides, I had been meaning to ask him for a while now. Mostly because he didn't seem like he had lived his life without school. He didn't talk like a street kid for one thing.

Inuyasha's ears swiveled towards me, as he ate. "Because he doesn't talk or really even act like someone from the street, that's all." Sango explained, mirroring my thoughts, as she turned to me, finally looking away from Inuyasha.

I didnt like it when she looked at Inuyasha like that; I kept getting the impression that she was attracted to him, though she wasn't obvious about it. It shouldn't have bothered me, but it did anyway. I couldn't help it; a growing part of me was afraid he was growing to like Sango more than me: just as a friend of course, the lie loud in my head. _'Face it, youre getting jealous!'_ A small voice accused.

Not wanting to think about that too much, I shoved the thought aside, nodding to Sango in agreement. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing too." I said. Looking at Inuyasha, I asked, "So, your mother was the only one to teach you anything?"

Inu Yasha put his sticks down, nodding. "Well, my mother taught me the alphabet, how to read, sign language, how to count, you know stuff like that, when I was two or three years old. She couldn't teach me more because she died soon after that." He explained, eating once more.

Sango and I looked at each other in surprise. "You were only two or three?!" I asked in shock. "Inuyasha, my first memory didn't even start until I was three, how on earth could you have learned how to do all of that so young?"

Now it was Inuyasha's turn to be surprised. Leaning back in his chair, he looked up staring at the ceiling, tapping his lips thoughtfully with his chopsticks. "Well, I'm not sure about that Kagome; I remember my mom saying something like that when I was about five months old." He said oh so casually.

"I had just started to walk, and my mother started teaching me stuff a little later than that, so I must have been two at least. I guess it could have started when I was one though. It was a long time ago, and there was a long time when I didnt know how to count," He concluded thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his black eyebrows rising as he looked into our stunned expressions.

"N-nothing." Sango said weakly.

"Anyway," Inuyasha continued, "The only thing my brother taught me was how to fight and hide. And the only thing the streets taught me was how to survive." He stated flatly, eating again. With a start I realized he was now handling the utensils almost expertly, picking up food and holding it easily.

This was just too much. I guess anything was possible if you were half magic, I supposed.

"But what about how you speak? You don't cuss much and you talk the same way we do. I KNOW street thugs don't talk like that." Sango pressed, leaning forward on her elbow's that were crossed on the table.

"Oh, I guess that was Sesshoumaru's doing." He said, around a mouthful of rice. "He always told me that how you speak reflected on who you are. It was very important to him, so he made sure I spoke correctly. I guess it just stuck with me." He shrugged. "I guess he taught me something after all." Inuyasha added sarcastically.

"Sesshoumaru, so that is your brothers' name?" I asked. Inuyasha nodded with a grin. Looking at him, I had to wonder what his older brother looked like. So, Inuyasha had learned basic things while he was very young, but nothing really since. Sango's question from earlier still haunted me. What would I do once my family came back? I really doubted he could stay with me. There had to be a way to get Inuyasha on his own two feet, so he wouldn't have to go back to the streets again.

Maybe I could home school him? The idea of a whole bunch of time spent with him caused butterflies to flutter in my stomach. That was what I would do! "I think you should get an education, Inuyasha." I stated, causing him to look at me with a confused expression in his golden eyes.

"Huh? Why?" He asked curiously. Suddenly I hoped he was able to learn quickly; sometimes he was so dense!

Before I could answer, Sango stepped in. "I think that is a great idea Kagome. Inuyasha, you need to have an education if you want to make something of yourself in this world. Do you really want to be a street bum your entire life?" She asked reasonably.

Both of his ears had stood up as he absorbed that. "I had never really thought about it. It always seemed like that was where I was supposed to be. Does school really matter so much?" He asked.

A little annoyed Sango had taken my thunder I spoke up quickly. "It means everything Inuyasha. Without a good education, you can't get a good job. Without a good job, you can't make enough money to support yourself. And if you can't support yourself you wind up on the streets. You will never be really happy like that!" I asserted.

"I suppose your right." He said slowly. "You're wrong about one thing though, there were many times when I was happy living out there. But I see your point." He added.

"Good." Sango said, looking satisfied. "If I teach you what you need to know while Kagome is in school, we can keep you off the streets, where you might get killed, or kill someone." Damn her! I had wanted to do it! This wasn't fair!

"And, if you learn enough, maybe we can find some way to get you into my school!" I said, thinking I had found a way for him to be away from Sango. Inu Yasha and Sango stared at me in surprise. "_WHAT_?!" They cried together.

Not daunted, I spoke up, my plan forming as I spoke. "Well, we could dye your hair black Inu Yasha, and then maybe find some contacts for your eyes. All we would need to do would be to find your birth certificate, and if you pass the right tests, you might even be placed in my grade!" I was a genius! I cackled to myself. "If you learn enough that is." I added, doubt creeping into my voice.

After all that was a LOT of material, so there was probably no way he could catch up. But if he had learned to READ before I could even remember anything at all, he might be able to do this, I reasoned to myself.

"Let's take it one step at a time. It might be a good idea." Sango said thoughtfully.

Inuyasha ate down the last of the food before he responded. I gave a little squeak as I realized everything I had prepared was gone. He had eaten _EVERYTHING_! "I will do that on one condition. I want to be near Kagome if I went. School has a lot of people right? Remember what happened at the mall?" He asked, looking at me, his ears twitching with his concern.

"That won't happen Inuyasha. You will look just like everyone else! No silver hair, no golden eyes, and your ears would be covered up." He would still draw people to him like a magnet, but it wouldn't be because of those things. And best of all, he wouldn't be alone with Sango! I felt very proud of myself.

"That is my condition." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Deal." Sango said. "But I think we are jumping way too far ahead. He has a lot to learn before he can do that!" she explained.

"Well, speaking of school, I have it in the morning. Its bed time!" I said, standing up. "By the way, Inuyasha?" I added, looking down at him. His ears twitched in a cute way as he looked at me curiously. "Thanks for liking my cooking!" I said happily, turning and skipping off to bed. I had finally found someone who actually liked it!

Behind me I heard him say, "Eh, no problem?" Causing me to giggle. Oh well, he didn't need to understand.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	17. Chapter 17 Hunting for Kagome

**Chapter 17:**

The next morning the rain finally broke, first falling to a drizzle, then stopping completely. The clouds remained though, as strong as ever, threatening to drench the world again. Kagome woke up and left for school, leaving without waking up the other two.

Later in the morning, Sango left and came back, burdened with books and papers, notebooks and pencils. Inu Yasha, seeing all of this, was not a happy Hanyou. Hours later, books piled all around, Inuyasha made steady progress from 1st grade to 5th grade material.

_**Sango's perspective:**_

Sitting down in an armchair across from where Inuyasha sat at the window seat studying, I couldn't help but stare at him again as the light from the windows highlighted his hair. I gave myself a shake, scolding myself on my stupidity. First of all, he was a half-demon! There was no way something could happen between us. Second of all, he was technically a minor so get those dirty thoughts out! I looked down once more at what I was doing.

Going over the test sheet Inuyasha had just taken, I sighed as I gave it another perfect score. So far, I had only needed to show him something once and he never forgot it. Of course, this was some pretty basic stuff, but still! It was hard to say if his ability came from his human blood or his demon blood, but wherever it came from, I was pretty sure he would qualify as a genius if I tested him. Apparently, being Inuyasha meant not only being healthy physically, but mentally healthy to.

Looking up from my paper, I saw Inuyasha staring out the window again. He seemed to do it every five minutes or so. There was only one reason that I could think of. Kagome. That was another reason nothing could happen between Inuyasha and I; it was obvious how they felt about each other. It was actually kind of funny seeing them try and act like they didn't.

It was time for a break. "Inuyasha." I said calmly, causing him to jerk his head around to face me like I had caught him at something. Oh yeah, he was definitely thinking about Kagome. "I think it's time we gave you a make over," I said, grinning. Oh this was going to be fun.

"What do you mean?" He asked, leaning away from the grin I had on my face. I waved my hands in the air to calm him down. "Don't worry! Nothing serious, just a haircut and we are going to try the new hair color I bought." I said as soothingly as I could.

Getting up, I took his hand and dragged him upstairs to the bathroom, where I had already left the scissors and hair dye earlier. "How short do you want it?" I asked, knowing he really didn't have a choice here. I was standing behind him, looking into his gorgeous eyes in the mirror. Looking back at me nervously, he just shrugged.

"What's wrong with how long it is now?" He asked, in wonder. Raking my hand through his hair, I examined it, enjoying its silky feel. "It draws attention, even if it were a normal color it would, because very few people have hair so long." I explained. His silver hair went as far as his butt. "If you are going to fit in, youre going to have to cut it. Besides, it will save how much hair dye we have to use." I added in a professional tone. Hair was one of my favorite things to mess with.

"Well, not too short. If I am going to fit in, I need it to cover where my ears should be." he said.

'True,' I thought to myself.

"Alright, let's begin!" I said cheerfully, as I started to snip at his hair with the scissors.

* * *

Soon, Sango had cut Inuyashas hair to drop just a little below his shoulders. Then she began to dye his hair, and with his hair dyed black, his golden eyes seem even more brilliant: even Sango couldn't help but stare. Getting dressed in some of the clothes Kagome had picked out for him at the mall, Inuyasha put a bandana over his ears.

Sango, getting a call from her business associates that they had tracked down Inuyasha's brother, left the house to see what she could dig up, leaving Inuyasha to his own devices.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

With Kagome being gone, I was going a little stir crazy. After so many days straight having her there beside me, it felt strange, and somehow wrong now that she was gone. What was she doing? I had never even thought to ask when she would get back from school. Was that guy from the mall there? That last thought disturbed me a lot, I had asked myself that question a hundred times already since I woke up.

Looking at myself in the mirror in Kagome's bathroom, I couldn't help but smile. I looked completely different. My hair, which had been wild and long before, now looked stylish and well kept. This was like a dream; I was willing to bet no one would look at me twice!

Now that I thought about it, what was to keep me from going to Kagome's school, now that I didn't stick out anymore? Nothing! Looking down at my baggy black jeans, dark red muscle shirt, and new black shoes, I whistled to myself. I felt great, almost human. Putting on the new black leather jacket Kagome had bought me I headed out the door. She would be so surprised to see me!

Closing the door behind me, I stepped outside for the first time in what seemed like forever. It felt so good to have the wind in my face. Luckily it hadn't rained all morning. Which meant that I could follow her scent all the way to wherever she had gone. And I knew her scent; she smelt sort of like apples and something else I couldn't put my finger on. Whatever it was it always made me a little lightheaded.

Jogging lightly, glad to get some exercise after all my time spent in bed, I easily followed her scent to a corner, where it stopped. Aw crap, she had taken the bus! I thought looking at the bench with the bus sign over it. Just when I was getting depressed and about to turn away, the bus arrived. Slowing then stopping, the bus driver thinking I wanted a ride, the middle- aged man opened the doors to me. I waved the driver on, knowing I had no money.

As it pulled away, I started jogging after it, grinning to myself. No one said I couldn't follow it! The bus and I went quite a ways: mostly straight really, before I caught Kagome's scent again a few miles from where I started. Quite a few people were about in this part of town, going here and there with their separate agendas, and traffic was fairly heavy. I had gotten a few honks from people surprised to see someone pace a bus. I usually didn't like to do something like that if I could help it, but this time I had no choice.

Looking around, I followed her scent some more, until finally I came upon a gate with a sign over it that said 'Shikon High School, founded in 1933.'

'Finally!' I thought with glee. Walking up the path towards the school, I grinned thinking how surprised Kagome would be to see me.

As I walked towards the big double doors leading into the school, I noticed how quiet and peaceful it seemed here. Maybe school wasn't that bad, I thought to myself. Opening a large door, I stepped inside looking around. The walls in the corridor were white plaster, with glass cases along the wall showing trophies and things. A little further in, brown heavy looking doors were spaced evenly the length of the hallway, with lockers packed on the walls between each door.

Kagome's scent was hard to pick out now, there were too many other scents mixing it up. Well, this place didn't seem that bad, I supposed. That is until a loud bell rang out, making me glad the cloth over my ears made hearing a little harder. Immediately after the bell, every door in the corridor seemed to open at once, with hundreds of people about my age pouring out. Every guy wore the exact same uniform, every girl wore the exact same skirt and shirt.

NOW what? I thought frantically. Maybe someone knew Kagome and could help me find her. Seeing a group of four girls talking to each other by some lockers close to me, I walked over to them. "Do any of you know where I can find Kagome?" I asked, hoping that out of the four of them, they might have a clue. No such luck.

The four girls stopped talking as soon as I got within speaking distance, and when I spoke to them they all just stood there and looked at me like idiots with round eyes. One girl, with too much make-up started to talk, but no sound came out. She was doing a pretty good goldfish impression though. The way they were looking at me made me feel self-conscious. Had they seen my ears? No, couldn't be that, they were safely hidden. Starting to lose my patience, I asked again. Politely. "Well?! Do you know where she is, or not?"

They gave little jumps like I had goosed them, and finally one of them, a plain looking girl with glasses, stepped forward. "Kagome Higurashi?" She asked, a little disbelievingly. I nodded, excited that I was on the right track.

"Yeah, that's her. Do you know where I can find her?" I asked, thinking I had as good as found her. But the girl shook her head. "Sorry, I don't know her that well, but I think she has her classes down the hall there." She said apologetically, pointing down to the other end of the corridor. It looked like there were more corridors, but this was the main one.

Nodding and grinning to her in thanks, I started in the direction she had pointed. Behind me, I heard the girls start talking together excitedly. "Oh my god! He was SO--" I lost the rest; the hall was too loud because everyone else in this place seemed to be talking at once. How could they stand it? He was SO-- what? I asked myself bitterly. Freaky most likely, I huffed to myself. Oh well who cares.

Moving and dodging past moving students going god knows where, I looked around trying to spot Kagome as I headed down the hall. This place was crazy! And Kagome wanted me to come here?!

Abruptly I realized it was happening again. Out of the corner of my eye I saw people to the left and right of me stop what they were doing, staring at me. Why? What did I do?! Was it my clothes? I thought frantically. Where was Kagome? I started moving faster down the hall, looking everywhere for her. I had to find her: maybe coming here hadn't been such a good idea. This place was like a maze.

* * *

Kagome, who had spent the majority of the day thinking about Inuyasha, had finally managed to get him out of her head. Until, standing next to her locker talking with two of her friends, Ayumi and Yuka, the topic of the half demon came up again.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

"You should have seen him!" Yuka was saying to Ayumi, one of my oldest friends. I had known her since 2nd grade. A little shorter than me, with short straight black hair that framed her face, she almost never got angry. But when she did, you knew it. "He was **SO HOT**!" Yuka said with a glazed look in her eyes.

"Calm down Yuka," Ayumi said, grabbing Yuka's shoulders and shaking her. "It was just a guy!" She said into Yuka's face, which wasn't listening as she stared through us to some imaginary world. Probably picturing Inuyasha, I assumed, sharing a knowing look with Ayumi, who was thinking the same thing. That was the great thing about being friends with Ayumi; we didn't really have to talk to know what each other were thinking.

"Was he really like a super model?" Eri asked, coming up from behind us. Eri was one of my newer friends, having met her in 6th grade. She was the funny one, with straight brown hair that fell to the small of her back. She was always making us laugh, but today she seemed in a more serious mood.

Covering my face with my hand, I sighed. "Yuka, you really need to shut up about this." I complained. It was hard enough getting him out of my head without them reminding me. All day I had been looking at every guy I saw and comparing him to Inuyasha; so far none of them came close, and it was starting to scare me. Had he made me raise my standards too high?

"Well excuse _me_!" Yuka huffed. "Let me see, you don't look twice at a single boy in school, not even when Naraku asks you out," she held up an accusing finger, "making us all think that you might be gay,"

_'GAY?!'_ I thought in shock.

"_THEN_ I see you in the mall with the hottest guy I have _ever_ seen. And I am supposed to be quiet about it?!" She said, holding up a second finger like it was some sort of evidence.

"Gay?" I squeaked, "You guys thought I was lesbo?" I felt betrayed. They were supposed to know me!

"I told them you weren't." Ayumi said quickly, shooting glares at Eri and Yuka. "Eri was still going to try and hook you up with a girl she knew anyway."

Eri looked at me apologetically. "Well? How was I supposed to know?! You never talk about guys. You don't even look at them that much. What was I supposed to think?" She pleaded.

I supposed that was true, I allowed. "But don't you guys think I would have told you, if I was?" I asked, still a little hurt.

Suddenly I was being hugged from all sides, all of them saying sorry at once. Feeling better, I forgave them. Stepping back, I was about to tell them about what had happened over the weekend, when the girls all looked over my shoulder. What? Turning around, I flinched when I saw Naraku heading our way. Oh great. I always got a creepy feeling from him; I couldnt stand it. Naraku stood a little taller than Inuyasha, with short dark spiky hair and cold black eyes. With his athletic build, straight nose, high cheekbones and firm jaw, He looked like a prince from a story. He could basically have just about any girl he wanted. Which was why it always confused me why he singled me out.

_'Did I sin badly in another life?'_ I wondered idly.

"Hey Kagome, I heard you have a boyfriend now," he opened up, standing in front of me.

Looking up at him, I snorted. "I walked through the mall with a guy. Is that what you mean?" I asked too sweetly.

This guy never got the hint! My friends snickered behind me. I knew Yuka at least had a crush on him; they were probably talking about his ass or something.

Frowning at me, Naraku leaned down over me, looking into my eyes. "I think you and I should go out," he ordered. But then amazingly, his voice softened. "I'm really sorry if I was a little too aggressive last time, Kagome. I was a little nervous, that's all," he said confidently.

Yeah _right_, the day Naraku got nervous was the day hell froze over. Looking into his eyes, I still saw a coldness there. If Inuyasha was fire, Naraku was the heart of winter. He was like an arrogant robot! He was being polite though, at least.

I was going to let him down, gently, when he surprised me again, gently cupping my chin he leaned closer, very close. "I really think we could get along, if--" He never got to finish, because suddenly, Naraku was gone. I felt a wind pass me, which didn't seem possible indoors like this.

A thunderous boom echoed down the corridor, stopping all sound like a knife. Jerking my head to look beside me, at the lockers were the sound had come from, I found myself looking at someone in baggy jeans, a black jacket I remembered buying recently, with long black hair that fell to his shoulders, holding Naraku up by his shirt against the lockers. "Inuyasha?" I asked, feeling weak with amazement.

You could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet. Then someone yelled, "Fight! Fight!" and suddenly we were surrounded as students came rushing over to look.

"Oh my god, look!" A guy whispered, pointing to the floor at Naraku's feet, followed by soft gasps as people looked at what he was pointing to.

Narakus feet dangled maybe a foot off the floor, held there by one of Inu Yashas arms.

Naraku, his breath blasted away by the force of him getting pushed to the locker, recovered quickly. "Who in the FUCK are you?!" He demanded furiously, his face darkened in anger. With his free hand, Inuyasha reached up and casually slapped Naraku, a loud clapping sound resounded in the hall, stunning him for a moment.

Turning towards me, Inuyasha grinned. His eyes had a sort of hurt look in them though. Damn it! This was bad, we were in so much trouble. I had to get him out of here, fast!

"Hi Kagome," Inuyasha said calmly, stopping what I had been about to say. "Are you ok? I came to check out your school. It looked like this guy was attacking you so..." he was interrupted when Naraku kicked him hard in the balls, surprising him. Letting go of Naraku, he grabbed his crotch, hunching over slightly.

As Naraku landed on his feet, going into a fighting stance, Inuyasha backed away, glaring at Naraku. "That... hurt." He growled.

Smiling grimly at Inuyasha, Naraku wiped a little blood from his lip, from when Inuyasha had slapped him. "It wasn't supposed to tickle, bitch! That was nothing," he threatened as he rushed in, about to hit Inuyasha again.

Giving a small laugh, Inuyasha did something even I didn't know he could do. As Naraku rushed in, Inuyasha leaped up, placing a hand on Naraku's shoulder, he pushed off, going high into the air and flipping over, landing on his feet behind Naraku, who had gone down in a heap from Inuyasha's weight. The crowed oohed and aahed. Not daunted, Naraku shot up, his face a very unhealthy shade of purple red, with murder in his eyes.

That was it, I had seen enough. "_**Stop**_ it!" I shouted, running between them, I faced Inuyasha, murder in my own eyes. I was going to _KILL_ him!! "I'm going to _KILL_ you!!" I shouted. Suddenly he didnt look so confident, backing away from me, maybe sensing the unholy thoughts I was having right then. In fact, everyone was looking at me that way, stepping back from me. Even Naraku.

Looking past my shoulder as I grabbed his hand, Inuyasha gave an apologetic look to Naraku, before I tugged him away, past my staring friends and through the crowd. Of all the...! How could he... ?! I couldn't _believe_ this! All around me I heard whispers as people said stuff like "Did you see that flip he did?" or, "his feet were like two feet off the ground dude!"

I couldn't believe a teacher hadn't come and broken it up! I had to get him out before the teachers found us. And the worst thing of all, was the contentment I felt with my hand in his. I had really missed him, and it had only been this morning since I had last seen him! I had looked in on him sleeping before I had gone to school. I felt my edge get dull, as I thought about it. He was my doggy in shining armor, I thought giggling to myself. To bad I would have to kill him now! I thought fiercely, trying to get mad again. It worked a little.

Coming to a part of school that seemed deserted, I stopped and turned on him. His back was to a wall, there was no escape for him, I thought evilly. Obviously ready for whatever I was going to dish, Inuyasha tried to speak up first. "Wait Kagome, before you..." he tried to say desperately.

"_**QUIET**_!" I yelled, shutting him up nicely. I suddenly realized with a pounding heart how good he looked. His black hair framed his face, causing his golden-amber eyes to take on an even more enchanting look in contrast. With his red muscle shirt and jacket, he looked better than I had ever seen him. Noticing my look, he started fidgeting, growing self-conscious.

"Not you too," he groaned. "Everyone has been staring at me. It's driving me crazy!" He said, a little frantically. Looking at him, I did the only thing my heart would allow me to. I hugged him hard, forcing him back against the wall. Cuddling in, breathing in comfortably at his neck, I felt him stiffen at first, then relax as he put his arms around me. He had a really pure earthy smell, I loved it.

I felt, more than heard a soft purr like sensation rise up in his chest that was pressed against me, making me hug him tighter. "So, what happened? Where is Sango?" I asked finally after we stayed awhile like that. I knew I was missing my class, but I really didn't think I could make myself leave his arms right then.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	18. Chapter 18 Mirokus Challenge

**Chapter 18:**

In a section of school were there seemed to be no people, a couple stood embracing, pressed against a wall.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

After explaining what had happened during the day, and where Sango went, I paused, just enjoying the feel of Kagome pressed up against me. She hadn't said anything the entire time; for instance when I told her about how well I was doing as far as studying went, she hadn't said 'good job,' or anything else. She had just snuggled into me, and made a contented little sighing sound that I suspected I wasn't supposed to hear, deep in her throat.

With her soft hair beneath my cheek, I felt little chills shoot through me every time her breath hit my neck. I had lied about something though; I hadn't just attacked that guy because it had looked like Kagome was in danger. I had also attacked because Kagome hadn't seemed to mind how close he had been to kissing her.

"Who was that guy, anyway?" I asked, unable to wait any longer for an explanation. I still couldn't get the image of that guy Kagome was with out of my head. He looked like the sort of guy that got what he wanted, and it had looked like he had wanted Kagome. The worst part was, I knew that I couldn't compete with someone like that, who was probably charming as hell, good looking, and most importantly, normal.

Looking down at Kagome as she stepped back from me out of my arms, I was almost able to summon up the energy to point out to myself that it shouldn't matter to me who Kagome was with. But I couldn't; the energy for the denial wouldn't come. It was too obvious a lie.

The problem was, I really couldn't understand what I felt for her. The past few days Kagome had managed to become a better friend than anyone I had ever met. And the whole time, she had sunk deeper and deeper into my mind.

At first I had liked the contact when she held my hand, or touched my arm. Then I had started to want it. Now, it almost hurt not to be close to her; I ached for it. I found myself looking for reasons to be closer, like coming to her school to show off my stupid new look; all because I couldn't stay away any longer. I felt like an idiot.

"You mean the guy you slapped around for no reason?" Kagome asked dangerously, interrupting my thoughts. Stepping further away from me, she put her fists on her hips, glaring at me. Luckily she was a lot less threatening than usual in her schoolgirl uniform. Well, except for when she had broken up my fight with Naraku. That had been sort of scary. "What were you _thinking_ Inuyasha?!" She demanded angrily.

Looking at her helplessly, I could only shake my head. It was a good question, what _had_ I been thinking? I had searched the length of the main hallway, then another corridor, and after that another. When I couldn't find her, I had started to panic, the amount of people staring at me everywhere I went had slowly started to eat at my resolve.

Finally I had spotted her in the crowd, only to see that some pretty boy had her chin in his hand. I remember feeling a searing heat in my chest when I saw her with him, and before I knew it, I had planted him into the lockers. I didn't even remember moving. Slapping the guy around had just been to work off a little of my anger at seeing them together.

Then it came to me; I had just bullied someone, just like my brother had bullied me, I thought in horror. I felt self-loathing rise like bile in my throat, threatening to overwhelm me. Damn it, even after six years Sesshoumaru still managed to come back to haunt me!

"Kagome, I--" I stopped, choking on nothing at all. All I wanted to do at that moment was to crawl away somewhere and die. How could I explain that I had sworn to myself that I would not be like my brother, without telling her everything about it? I had never told anyone what he had done to me, and I wouldn't burden her with it!

I had never had anyone like her before; there was no way I was going to ruin it by bringing my bad luck story down on her. Kagome's face had slowly changed from mild anger to concern. "W-what is it? Inuyasha?" She asked worriedly, stepping forward to grab my arm, her anger forgotten.

I guessed my face was showing her what I was feeling. Shit! Turning away, not wanting to see Kagome's worried face, and not wanting her to see my struggle, I shook my head. "I'm an idiot, that's what," I said, my voice shaking as I clamped down hard on the boiling mix of emotions inside of me.

"Hey! What are you two doing outside of class?" A deep authoritative voice called, saving me from any more of Kagome's questions. Both of us turned to look as a very large man in blue jeans and white tee shirt came towards us.

"You should get out of here, that's Mr. Bronsten, the coach." Kagome whispered urgently. "I think there is an exit that way," She pointed down a side corridor. "We aren't finished Inuyasha!" She added fiercely, before turning and walking towards the approaching teacher.

Turning, I took off in the direction she had pointed, glad for the chance to get out of this place. Picking up speed, it wasn't long before I was going at almost full speed. My frustration and anger at myself gave me plenty of energy.

Moving faster than most eyes could follow, I reached a pair of double doors that said 'exit' over them. Skidding to a stop in front of them, I pushed, but the doors wouldn't open. Looking down, I saw chains keeping them closed. Some exit!

Grinning, knowing I was probably going to hear about this from Kagome, I kicked them, popping them open. The chains holding them snapped like string, while the doors crashed open with a terrific force. Stepping outside, I looked back at the doors as they closed behind me. I was impressed they had stayed on their hinges!

As soon as I breathed in the air, sweet with moisture it held from the storm, I started to feel better. Running again, harder than I had in years, I felt free, more so than I had in a long time. Still feeling disgusted with myself, I pushed it back into the back of my mind, letting the wind clear my head. Seeing some buildings a block or so away, I gathered more speed, leaping as hard as I could. I laughed out loud as I luxuriated in using my strength without worrying whether I might hurt something or someone.

I felt the hatred of myself fade away, never gone, only held off as it was replaced with the wonder I always felt whenever I saw the city from the freedom of the sky. As I soared above the first few buildings, my cheeks chilling from the speed of the wind, I felt a wide grin stretch across my face. It wasnt until I felt the wind on my ears too that I realized I had lost my bandanna somewhere in the run.

Landing on a rooftop, I looked around, enjoying the scenery. Ahead of me, I spotted a cathedral, the building rising to a point far above the surrounding buildings. Concrete with stained glass murals on the outside, its western design stood out conspicuous in this more advanced area. On an impulse, I jumped down into an ally not far from the church, intent on checking it out. I had never actually been inside of one of these before. Idly, I wondered if a bolt of lightning or something would strike me down.

* * *

Inside the cathedral, a lone young priest named Miroku was doing some very un-priestly things with a young woman in one of the confessional booths. The church, temporarily closed due to renovations, stood empty except for the two in the booth, as Inuyasha came to the front doors, pushing them open. They opened easily, due to the fact that a certain priest had forgotten to lock them.

Hearing the sounds of someone entering, the two quickly disengaged.

_**Miroku's perspective:**_

Cursing softly to myself, I straightened my coat, while Molly, the cute young blond I was with, made sure my white collar was centered. Molly was from America, and was taking in the sights. She had come by the church when I had been just closing up, and had been so sad not to be able to confess her sins. Being a good priest, I had considered it my duty to do all I could to help her get over any sadness she may have been feeling.

Tugging her skirt lower, She left the confessional ahead of me, allowing me the chance to admire her from behind. God, life was good! Well, it _had_ been good a minute ago, until whoever it was that was coming in had changed things. "I've got to go." Molly said urgently, running towards the back exit so she wouldn't be seen by whoever had made the noise in the front.

Nodding calmly, I made the sign of the cross towards her retreating back, "I understand my child, go with god." I said solemnly, my mind already wondering who had made the sounds. Going to a corner, I took out a baseball bat, ready if it turned out to be the wrong sort of person. I was quite advanced at self-defense. It seemed criminals didn't respect holy places these days, I thought sadly, shaking my head.

I walked slowly to the front of the podium, bat in hand, where a table with candles had been set. The long isle, with benches to the left and right, came straight from where I stood to the entrance, so I could see who ever it was that came in easily. I wondered why they hadn't come this far already. It had been several minutes since I had heard the noise.

Oh well, this gave me time to pray for the new visitor to be a beautiful girl. At least at this distance, I would have more than enough time to run if the people turned out to be to dangerous. I could defend myself, but I wasnt stupid.

Finally someone did appear. Somewhat tall, long black hair with something white on top, it appeared to be a handsome young man. Pretty much exactly the opposite of what I had been praying for. So, god _DID_ have a sense of humor.

Dropping the bat, I walked towards the new visitor. "Hello, my son! I am afraid this church is closed until further notice." I said grandly. Looking at him, I raised my eyebrows at his strange look. Now that I was closer, I saw that the white things on his head were ears, and his eyes were golden. Some sort of costume, I assumed.

Then I saw his ears move, twitching as he listened to me. What the hell?

"What are _you_?" I asked rudely, the question coming out before I could stop it.

This was a house of god after all, we accepted all sorts of freaks. The young man smirked at me, and I realized he was only a teenager. "What would you say if I told you I was part demon?" He asked challengingly.

So, a real demon stood before me, or part of one? How strange! "I would tell you that I was part demon too." I said calmly, regaining my composure. One of the young mans ears stood straight up, while the other one tilted to the side, as his face took on a look of confusion. "What? Stupid priest! I mean I have _real_ demon blood in me!" He explained in frustration.

Laughing I clapped the young man on the shoulder. "I understand that. But so what? Do you think your blood makes any difference when determining what kind of person you are?" I asked, waving my arm so he would follow me to one of the benches. I sensed he needed someone too talk to.

"Actually, yes. I was always taught that it mattered a lot," he said softly from behind me. Looking over my shoulder at him, I grinned. "Then join me and we will compare our sins. Let's see who the greater demon is," I challenged.

A slow smile broke over the boys face as he followed me. "You know something? I think I like you! Stupid priest," he said cheerfully. Grinning, I sat him down ready to show him just how little blood mattered. I had spent my early life doing some pretty shady things. Now in my early twenties, I knew I could beat just about anyone when it came to sinning.

Sitting down, the contest began.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	19. Chapter 19 A Man to Demon Talk

**Chapter 19:**

The rules for the contest were simple; you couldn't lie. At first, Inuyasha had been confident that he had lived a worse life than a simple priest. Two hours into the contest, he now wondered how his opponent could even _be_ a priest.

Miroku, uncaring how much he revealed of his own past and deceptively good at counseling, saw that Inuyasha had a problem he wasn't willing to talk about, so Miroku made sure to talk about each experience Inuyasha brought up, under the guise of making sure it was a 'valid' sin. His intention of course was to get to know the young man better, and so get to the root of his problem.

At first, Inuyasha felt confident he could win just by plucking random things he had done in his past as examples. As the game wore on though, he was forced to delve deeper into his personal experiences, until finally, having exhausted his early life experiences, he resorted to his recent experience earlier that day out of desperation.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

Staring at Miroku in awe, I listened as he calmly explained how he had sold his fathers car while the old man had been away on a business trip. What the _HELL_?! He had to be lying. "Yeah _right_!" I scoffed. I had him now; there was no _way_ he could have done that when he was only fourteen years old.

Miroku, who had dark blue eyes that almost seemed black in the dim light that filtered in from the multicolored windows above, looked at me nodding his head calmly. "I know it sounds strange, but it happened. Why would I lie about something like that?" he asked reasonably. That was true, I supposed. "But why would you sell your dads car?!" I asked skeptically.

"Well, I was pretty mad at him for grounding me for a month." He said, shrugging at me with a grin. Grounding? I wasn't sure what he meant by that. "Huh?" I said confused. Blinking at me, he said again, slower as though to an idiot. "I said, I was mad at--"

"No not that!" I interrupted waving my arms. "What's 'grounding'?" I asked, not liking the fact that I had to ask.

"You don't know what being grounded means?" He asked wide-eyed. Before I could answer angrily, he shook his head, his short black hair barely moving with the movement, answering himself. "Of course, your parents were gone when you where just a baby. How stupid of me." he said in a self- reproaching tone. It was a good thing he said that; I was on the verge of slapping him upside the head for forgetting, priest or no priest.

"Exactly." I congratulated, "And it wasn't like Sesshoumaru was the parenting type." I added dryly. Laughing Miroku just nodded his head in understanding. I had surprised myself by telling Miroku everything. The things I had so much trouble telling anyone else had seemed so trivial when compared to the things Miroku had gone through, so I had found it easy to tell him about everything, even my early life with my half brother. I had really grown to like the perverted priest; he was a kindred spirit. Of course, compared to the priest, I was a saint.

"Grounding is a sort of punishment. It means I wasn't allowed to do anything fun and not leave the house." He explained. Oh, I thought I understood. In that case, Sesshoumaru had grounded me the entire time I had lived with him. "So, what did you do to get punished?" I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer. With him, it could be any number of reasons.

"Oh that? I had seduced his wife, my mother in law." He explained, a dreamy look on his face.

"You _what_?!" I yelped, rocked to my core. "And you were mad at your dad for punishing you?!" I accused, amazed I could like someone so downright immoral. Or maybe that was _why_ I liked him. "How did you end up as a priest?! God really needs to get a better screening process." I commented.

Miroku just grinned at me, a twinkle in his eyes. "Becoming a priest was the only way I could think of to pay the universe back for my bad deeds. It's my way of paying my debt." He said, suddenly growing serious.

"Oh yeah? What about the girl you were with earlier?" I asked, looking at him knowingly. I smelt her all over him. "Aren't you supposed to stay away from that sort of thing?" I asked with false innocence.

He looked at me, shocked. "How did you know?!" He exclaimed. When I tapped my nose, grinning, he hung his head shaking it sadly. "Alas, I never said I was _**good**_ at being a priest." He said, with a dignified air. Not able to take it anymore, I burst out laughing, and after a moment, Miroku joined in.

I had to admit to myself, he had beaten me. In every category he was a greater demon then I could ever be. Not wanting to give it up, I used the last thing I could think of. "Today, I beat the shit out of someone because he was hitting on Kagome. I totally humiliated him, just because I was angry." I said, not able to keep the ache out of my voice. I felt my throat tighten as I thought of it.

Miroku grunted. "I thought you said Kagome isn't your girlfriend?" he said, in slight confusion.

That was what I had thought until that moment too. "She isn't." I said slowly, the confusion I felt towards her whenever I thought of her coming back.

"Then why the jealousy?" He asked patiently.

"Because, I don't know what that word means to me." I said frankly. "I have never had someone in my life that made me feel the way she makes me feel." It was so strange saying this out loud. It felt great saying it though, for some reason. "It's pretty messed up. To her, I think I am just another friend out of many, a small piece in a giant pie. To me, she is everything. When I'm not around her, everything has less color in a strange way." I paused. I had never thought of it quite like that before, the thoughts had just crystallized as I said them.

"Inuyasha." The priest said, looking me in the eye. "Can I make an observation about you?" His tone said clearly this was not going to be a laughing matter.

"Okay go ahead, I guess." I answered, growing a little nervous despite myself.

"You are in love with Kagome." He stated, saying it slowly.

I felt myself go into a cold sweat at those simple words. My heart started to hammer in my chest, as I felt something close to panic well up in me. He was wrong of course, I couldn't be in love! I hadn't realized I had said that out loud until Miroku laughed, raising his hand to quiet me.

"How would _you_ know, Inuyasha? Have you ever been in love before?" He challenged.

Thinking back, trying to think of an example, I failed, until I thought of my mother. "Of course! I loved my mother." I said in relief; it was proof I wasn't in love. "And I can tell you my feelings for Kagome aren't the same." I said, feeling triumphant.

Miroku just looked at me for a second before laughing so hard tears came. "You fucking idiot! I _hope_ you didn't feel the same thing towards your mother as you do towards Kagome!" He shouted back, wheezing. "I can't blame you for not knowing, considering what your life has been like, but there are different sorts of love, after all. One doesn't have to feel the same as another. Take it from someone who knows, you love her!" He cackled, reaching over he slapped me upside the head.

"_DAMN IT PRIEST!_ Stop that! I'm not in love, so shut up about it!" I yelled, my protest sounding weak in my own ears.

But what if he was right? What if I really did? Was it even possible for her to think the same way? I didn't think so. I had nothing to offer her but trouble. I felt stupid for even thinking about it.

Sobering up a little, Miroku continued anyway, wiping a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "I have a test. First, I want you to think about someone other than Kagome that you have known for a day or so. Roughly as long as you have known Kagome."

That wouldn't be hard. Thinking, I came up with someone. "Ok, I'm thinking of Sango." I said, willing to play along. If there was a test, I really needed to take it.

"The woman that tried to kill you?" Miroku asked in amazement.

Shrugging, I grinned at him. "She isn't trying anymore, and she's really fun to be around when you get to know her." I explained.

Shrugging, Miroku continued. "Now, close your eyes, and picture her in as much detail as you can. Her personality, her laugh, the way she looks, everything." He paused, waiting for me as I followed his instructions. "Got it?" He asked finally.

Eyes closed, I conjured up Sango as I had seen her earlier today as she tutored me. "Yeah." I confirmed.

"Ok, now, imagine she died, and you were at her funeral. Picture it as clearly as you can. Imagine how you would probably feel knowing you would never see her again, or hear her laugh, or know what she thinks about something." He instructed. Nodding my understanding, I concentrated; I pictured her gravestone on a cold day. I thought of what it would feel like not seeing her eyes squint when she laughed, or hear her say something funny. I imagined all of the things that made her unique and interesting, and suddenly having it all taken away forever.

A little depressed now, I nodded to Miroku. "Ok, now what?" I asked.

My eyes closed, I heard Miroku say. "How do you feel about it?"

Thinking about it, I answered as truthfully as I could. "It makes me a little sad, and it's depressing. What's the point?" I asked, thinking I knew where this was going, and not liking it.

"I am getting to that. Now, with your eyes still closed, I want you to imagine Kagome using the exact same method. First think of her as you know her, as completely as you can. Then do what you just did for Sango." I had been half expecting this when he had first told me to think of Sango dead. But hearing it still made my heart thump in my chest.

Determined to go through with it, I did as ordered. I brought Kagome's face to my mind; the way she laughed, the cute way she scrunched up her nose when she was angry, the feel of her hair, the way she yelled at me, her excitement when she shopped, and even her body language as her mood changed. I felt myself grow happier after awhile, and I realized I had stayed at this stage a great deal longer than I had before. Miroku was probably getting impatient.

Not liking what I was about to do, I imagined standing over her grave. I thought about how I would feel not ever hearing her voice, or laughter, or even her when she cried. Never again would I see her tuck her hair behind her ear when she was concentrating, or have her call me an idiot for no reason. I would never again hear her opinion on something, or feel her body against mine as we hugged. I felt grief build in me, smothering me until it seemed like I was drowning; I couldn't breathe.

I was concentrating so hard, I jerked in surprise when I felt Miroku's hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me. Abruptly it came to me that my throat hurt, and my eyes burned, while my stomach was doing weird things that made me slightly nauseous. Opening my eyes to regard Miroku, who was grinning for some reason, I took a deep breath, relief flooding through me when I remembered it had just been an exercise; after all, it wasn't real.

That was when I felt something on my face; it felt warm and cold all at once. Reaching up with a trembling hand, I wiped off whatever it was and looked at it. Staring at my wet hand in horror, I realized that it was my own tears. Looking up at Miroku in wonder, I took a deep steadying breath as he asked the obvious question.

"So, what did you feel that time?" He asked sarcastically.

"I get it, ok?" I told him, annoyed with his superior attitude.

Damn all priests! Deep down, I knew then that he was probably right; it probably was love, but a stubborn streak in me made me continue to fight.

"It doesn't prove anything! Just because I feel stronger for Kagome than Sango doesn't mean I'm in love with her!" I announced loftily, my bull headedness obvious even to me.

Sighing and shaking his head, Miroku grinned at me. "You are completely hopeless. Just think about it ok? If you want to be blind about it, well it's not my love life. Screw it up as much as you want!" He said in frustration.

"Anyway," he continued, "I think I have proved my original point. That demon blood running through your veins has nothing to do with the person you are, since the heart that is pumping it is completely human." He lectured. Well he was a priest after all; it was what they did.

Throwing up my hands, I relented. "_FINE_, you win! Some contest! You just spent the entire day convincing me on what a freaking _nut case_ you are!" I laughed.

Then I realized what I had just said; the whole day? It had grown fairly dark in the church; judging from the light filtered in from the windows, it was more night than day now. How long had we been talking?!

Kagome would be home by now! Excited, eager to see her again, I stood up. "I have to go Miroku, it's getting late." I explained.

Nodding, Miroku stood up with me. "It was a pleasure, my young friend." He said, bowing to me.

Grinning, I bowed back, saying "Come visit me anytime Miroku. I mean it. I am staying at a shrine down the street from the high school." I said, hoping I would see him again.

"The one with the giant tree?" He asked. When I nodded he smiled. 'Ah, I know that place; I pass it all the time. I would be glad to visit you again!" He said warmly.

"Great! See you later then! Stupid priest. " I said with a laugh as I turned, already jogging for the door.

Stepping outside, I looked around. Night had fallen. Wondering if Kagome had missed my absence, I started back towards the shrine, eager to see her again. I had plenty of time to figure out whether I loved her or not. Just being with her was enough for now.

Besides, she didn't love me, so what I felt didn't matter at all.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	20. Chapter 20 Awakening

Disclaimer: My sister owns Inuyasha. (That's a lie you know). 

And now, on with the show!

**Chapter 20:**

Kagome, after coming home to see that Inuyasha wasn't there, spent the time trying to get him out of her head by doing homework, talking to her mother that had called to check in on her, and talking to friends on the phone. As the day passed with no sign of him, getting Inuyasha out of her head became impossible as her concern for him grew. As night fell, her concern turned to worry.

Across town, Sango started back for the shrine as well, having collected some disturbing information.

_**Kagome's perspective:**_

Reading the same line of the magazine article for the twentieth time, I gave up and flung it across the room in frustration. Where _was_ he? Still in my school uniform, I sat at the couch in the living room, where I had tried to watch TV, before I had gotten tired of it and started to read. It felt like every minute since I had last seen Inuyasha had lasted ten.

Could he have decided that I was in too much danger and returned to living on the streets? He better not have! Or, had he run into some more trouble and lay dying alone in an alley somewhere? The look on his face the last time I had seen him made my heart ache; he had seemed so sad. And for reasons I had no time to pull out of him. Stupid coach interrupting us!

And of course, I couldn't get that hug out of my mind! Again it had come down to either hugging him, punching him, or kissing him. And once more, I had settled for hugging because it was the safest one of the three. Every moment I was with him made it harder for me to resist the effect he had on me. After so many hours away from him, I was ready to scream.

Now with night falling, I was really starting to get worried. Suddenly I heard the door open behind me from where I was on the couch, along with the rustle of someone coming through the doorway. Looking over my shoulder, my heart beat faster as I saw exactly the person I wanted to see. With his white ears poking out in stark contrast with his black hair, that for some reason seemed a little more faded than it had when I had seen him in school, Inuyasha looked over at me with a small smile.

"Hi Kagome." He said calmly, closing the door behind himself, he took a few steps towards me before stopping, regarding me with suddenly wary eyes.

Quickly, his golden eyes darted down and up, checking me close for something I couldn't guess at, his ears had jutted forwards as though testing the air.

Getting up slowly, I approached him, studying him in return, my earlier worry and frustration over not being able to see him changing to anger. He had me worrying all day, and all he had to say was _hi_?! Almost immediately my anger was replaced with a feeling of relief so powerful it almost made me dizzy. He was back, safe with me.

"Are... are you okay, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked uncertainly, his ears trembling slightly.

His face took on such a gentle look my heart ached. With a start I remembered I hadn't said a word to him since he came back.

"I'm fine." I said quietly, looking into and holding his gaze. "Where were you?" I asked, forcing a calm into my voice I didn't feel.

Looking a little abashed, a small smile appeared on his handsome face once more.

"Oh well, you see I was wandering around and..." Slowly he started telling me about meeting a priest, who really shouldn't have been a priest at all, from Inuyasha's point of view.

As he continued his story about the contest between he and the priest, Inuyasha started to look energized, and his face became animated.

Having moved to the couch, where I sat next to him, I couldn't help but laugh at hearing about one of Miroku's adventures. How could you run an escort service when you were only twelve years old?! That had to be a lie.

"I can't believe you fell for that one!" I laughed, while I settled back on the couch, resting my feet across Inuyasha's lap.

Inuyasha was ready to agree. "That's what I thought too! But then he took out his wallet and showed me pictures. Pictures!!" He said, laughing along with me.

Smiling to myself, I felt a surge of warmth fill me seeing him like this. The dark cloud that always seemed to loom over him seemed to have disappeared. I couldn't help but feel a little sad that it hadn't been me to put this warmth into him, but it was still an awesome thing to see. Still, I decided right then that we would have more moments like these, together. With a jolt I realized where my thoughts had lead me.

Slowly my laughter died on my lips while I looked at him, as it dawned on me just how much I cared about him. Looking at him, my heart lurched in my chest as I put a name to what I felt for him. _'I love him,'_ I thought in awe.

I couldn't deny it. Every time I was with him, I felt weaker and stronger all at once. A day away from him had actually hurt! Somehow inside of three days, he had become the center of my universe. And I loved it. Swallowing hard, I looked away suddenly more scared than I had ever been in my life. Now what?! If I told him, would he reject me? I didn't think I could take that, not from him.

And even if he felt the same, which he didn't, what would come of it? Would I end up marrying a street kid, poor with no hope for the future? Catching my mood, Inuyasha's smile disappeared into a serious expression as he looked at me, his ears twitching.

"What's wrong Kagome?" He asked gently, surprising me.

Blinking at him, feeling my heart race, I looked away quickly. "I... Nothing! What do you mean?" I said guiltily. How did he do that?

Not having any of it, Inu Yasha shook his head stubbornly. God, I even loved THAT! I thought in horror.

"Something's been on your mind since I got back, Kagome. You were angry with me when I came back. I could smell it. So, what's wrong?" He asked earnestly. Relief flooded through me. So he couldn't tell what I had been thinking. Anger I could talk about. It was safer.

"What happened at school, Inuyasha? Why were you there? Why did you beat Naraku up?" That's what my friends had wanted to know too.

I had spent the rest of the school day trying to explain to teachers and students alike what had happened. Which meant I had spent a lot of time lying. I was almost as clueless as they had been.

"I got overconfident." Inu Yasha said carefully. "This was the first time I thought I could really just blend in, you know?" He looked at me, his face hopeful, wanting me to understand.

I could only nod my head. I thought I understood. It must be tough to be the center of attention all the time. Taking my nod as a sign to go on, he did.

"With this outfit, I thought no one would notice me. I just wanted to surprise you with my new look! That's all." He said it with such cheer, he brought a smile to my lips too. He continued. "But then, when I got inside the school, everyone started to stare again. That was when I realized it was because my clothes aren't the same as everyone else's." He finished ruefully.

Giggling, I shook my head. That wasn't why they had been staring at all. He had no idea how beautiful he was. Another thing I loved about him. Thinking I was laughing at him, he glared at me. He continued warily, a cute little frown on his face.

"So that's why I was there. But then I got lost. Your school is so friggin' huge! I couldn't find you, so I started to panic." He said, a little embarrassed, a self-depreciating smile forming on his face.

"_AWW_!" I squealed happily, "You _missed_ me!"

Scooting over to his end of the couch, I hugged him, while curling myself up in his lap, and resting my head on his chest, the top of my head just under his chin. I felt him tense at first, before relaxing and hugging me back. I couldn't help it! I had wanted to do this all day! Hugging Inuyasha had replaced cooking as my favorite thing to do.

It felt so good. Like nothing bad could ever happen with his arms around me. I could hear his heart beating, loudly and quickly. It was growing quicker by the second. Grinning, knowing he couldn't see it, I felt better for some reason. I didn't think I could tell him how I felt. Not yet. But at least I could get his heart to pick up!

"Feh." He huffed, without any conviction. "Don't be stupid. I-- I just got angry I couldn't find you right away, that's all." He explained quietly.

If I hadn't been able to feel his heart thudding I would have believed him. I felt my own heart beat faster as I felt a little hope rise up within me. _'Does he like me too?'_ I thought feeling a little light headed. The hope died as soon as it was born; he could miss me and still not love me, I rationalized.

"Fine." Pouted. "So what was with you beating down Naraku? Did you really think he was _attacking_ me? We were only talking." I murmured, feeling myself relax more into him. It was amazing how comfortable he was.

At Naraku's name, I felt him tense once more. I looked up, to gauge his expression.

My breath froze as I felt a shock of electricity race through me when I realized how close we were. He was looking down at me, inches from me, his golden-amber eyes intense with an emotion I couldn't guess at.

"So, his name is Naraku." Suddenly I realized Inu Yasha's face was closer to mine. I felt his breath, which luckily didn't smell bad at all, caress my cheek. "Is Naraku your... your boyfriend?" He asked softly. Were we closer? Was I leaning forward or was he? I couldn't tell. All I could focus on were his lips, so close to mine now.

"No he isn't. Stop avoiding the question Inuyasha. Why did you attack him?" I asked quietly, feeling my own heart beat in my ears.

I didn't even care at the moment, it's not like I minded Naraku getting beat up. Inuyasha was so close. Our noses were almost touching. I still couldn't tell who was moving. Him or me; I didn't care.

"Because," he struggled, his voice raw, "he looked like he was going to kiss you." Inuyasha admitted finally, his voice a whisper.

A fire sprang up in my heart, spreading through me faster than thought. I knew it! "You mean, like this?" I whispered back, leaning into him. I swear a spark of electricity shot between us before our lips touched.

Our lips touched softly at first, testing. It quickly turned into something more urgent, a passion I had never felt before surged through me, building heat like the heart of a volcano. My head swirled and I grew dizzy, my toes curling up as our kiss deepened. I don't know how long it lasted, but it wasn't long enough. Breaking off for a moment I leaned back, looking into his face, which was flushed red. At least I wasn't the only one.

"Wow," he said breathlessly, a look of wonder on his face. "What--"

He was interrupted from whatever he had been about to say when the front door crashed open, followed by Sango.

"Kagome!" She cried rushing in, her face excited. "You wouldn't believe what I just found out... oh." She said neutrally, her face going blank as she eyed me, taking in our embrace with a glance. Feeling my face flame up, I jumped out of Inuyasha's lap like it was covered in acid.

Inuyasha was looking between Sango and I in surprise.

"What did you find, Sango? Want some tea?" I asked, hoping to distract her. Carefully not looking at Inuyasha, I walked with as much dignity as I could towards the kitchen, waving my arm so they would follow me.

"I found Inuyasha's brother." Sango said calmly, sitting down at the table.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	21. Chapter 21 Breaking Point

**Chapter 21:**

Above the city of Tokyo, dark clouds churned, turning black as the day turned into night. The eye of the storm had passed, as hard winds came in ushering in a fresh onslaught of rain. Thunder cracked in the distance, giving the storm a voice. Away from the small shrine with a big tree outside, on the other side of the city in a skyscraper in the business district, a single light was lit an office window high above the streets.

The lavish office inside the building was linked with a small private gym, complete with punching bag and exercise equipment. Sesshoumaru, alone with his private secretary Jaken looking on, grunted as he sent another gloved fist into the punching bag as he thought about earlier that day.

_**Sesshoumaru's perspective:**_

I felt myself grunt as I sent another right hook into the punching bag. I wasn't really sure how long at had been at this. Ever since I had worked my way into this office a few years ago, I had spent the last part of every night exercising as a way to relieve my stress and reflect on my day. I huffed as I sent another one-two combination into the bag; enjoying the feeling of power I felt when the bag shook with the impact.

My encounter with the young detective Sango had been _most_ interesting. She had come in without appointment, claiming she represented Inuyasha. Damn it! Why did that little snot have to re-appear after all this time? If it got out that my little half brother was a freak of nature, or how I had treated him, I would never be able to get into politics, where the real power was. He was still a minor, demon or no demon; anything he said about me would have great weight. The day he had run away had been the best day of my life; people didn't listen to street kids.

I still remember the rage I used to feel whenever I looked into that piece of shits golden eyes. Eyes so obviously not human, let alone related to _me_ in any way. I had controlled myself for the first month or so after mom had died. I had barely even spoken to him. That had been before I had seen him fall out of the top branch of a tree he had been climbing when he was very young, and instead of crying, he had gotten up with a little bruise and a smile. The bruise had disappeared by the next day.

He had completely recovered after a day from something that should have killed him. That was when I realized it was okay to vent my frustration on him. He could take it. Slapping him around a little was nothing compared to falling from such a great height. And best of all, there would be no record of it by the next day. He was my own little punching bag, perfect for relieving the stress and anger I felt whenever I looked at the legacy of my mother screwing around on my dad. I didn't blame dad for leaving us; I blamed her, and Inuyasha.

Luckily, mother had left us quite a bit of money when she had passed away. I was a millionaire by the time I was twenty. Not content with that, I had decided I wanted power as well. What was money without the means to use it properly? Now in my late twenties, I had become vice president of this giant corporation, dealing in weapons research for foreign markets, like America. My next step was political office of course. Naturally.

But now had come the news my shitty little brother was back! Ms. Sango hadn't told me where she was keeping Inuyasha, she was only interested in his personality, claiming she and her organization were keeping tabs on him, and it was her duty to make sure he was not a threat to those around him, because of his demon blood. Thus her visit to me, his brother, to get my opinion on his personality, and to question why he had run away from home.

It was obvious from her questions that my brother hadn't told her about his daily beatings, or 'practice sessions' as I had liked to call them. I had never felt any guilt over treating my brother that way. Hell, it was probably how all brothers acted. Besides, I had given him food and shelter, and the brat had repaid me by running away! God I hated him. Sango's visit had given me a perfect opportunity to make him disappear once and for all. I got the feeling that if she didn't like my answers, her organization would take care of my problem for me.

With great joy I had told her all about how he liked to con people into liking him, then stealing or taking advantage when their guard was down. I told her how he used to lie to get what he wanted, patiently building up trust. Then I told her about his real temper, and the way he had used to keep it bottled up until he exploded on those around him. It had been one of his outbursts that had resulted in our mothers' death, I had explained.

All of this was a lie of course. Mother had died of cancer, and no matter what I had done to him, he had never lost control, and he had never lied to the best of my knowledge. Of course, the last time I had seen him was when he was only ten years old, but I doubted he had changed that much in only six years.

Telling her that wouldn't help me though, so I had continued by explaining I had no idea why he had run away. Other than the fact he hated to be disciplined by his older brother. He had always been headstrong, I had sighed. Sango had taken all of this in with a professional, detached air, writing various things down in a notepad in her lap as I spoke.

"Would you take Inuyasha back in, if I convinced him to return?" She had asked at last. Knowing that question would be coming, I had cringed inside, while keeping a composed face.

"I would take him back in a second, of course!" I had exclaimed, "I had given up hope." Hours spent with public speaking tutors had allowed me to put just the right mixture of worry and regret into my voice. It could be a good thing if Inu Yasha came back. It would mean I could get rid of him at my leisure.

It was a miracle he had lasted all of these years without drawing attention.

"Sir, are you alright? I never knew you even had a brother." Jaken asked, breaking me out of my thoughts and bringing me back to the present.

Jaken was a very small man in his mid sixties. He had come highly recommended, and was known for his dependability. He wasn't the smartest, but he was good at the things I told him to do. So I kept him around. After Sango left I had ordered some people to follow her for a while. I would have to contact her superiors as well. I needed to find out where Inuyasha was, fast.

"I'm fine. I am going home now, Jaken. I expect information about Ms. Sango's organization on my desk by the time I get to my office tomorrow." I said, enjoying the respect Jaken always showed me.

Bowing his wrinkled head as I passed him on my way out, his white hair carefully combed over to hide his balding spot on top, I heard him say, "Of course, sir."

Smiling to myself, I pushed the matter out of my mind, knowing it would be done.

Inuyasha would disappear, one way or another. I should have gotten rid of him years ago, but I had never been able to make myself do it. I had loved my mother, despite what she had done, and her memory had stopped me from doing anything permanent to Inuyasha. After all of these years, I had finally been able to divorce myself from those emotions.

Nothing would save my brother now.

* * *

Meanwhile across town, in the small shrine, Sango's news came as a great shock to Inuyasha and Kagome.

_**Inuyasha's perspective:**_

I felt a cold hand grip my spine at Sango's news. How could she?! All she new was his first name! I felt anger build in me, a growl forming in my throat. "What do you mean, you 'found him'?" I asked tightly.

"I mean, my organization found him, and I went to visit him today." She said calmly.

The sky is blue. I have an itch. That was how she said it. Across from me, teacups still in her hands, Kagome was just as surprised.

"Why did you meet his brother?" She asked curiously.

"Inuyasha is a minor, Kagome." Sango said patiently, no emotion in her voice. "Until Inuyasha turns eighteen, Sesshoumaru is technically his guardian." She explained calmly.

_'Guardian, she says.'_ I thought to myself with a bitter chuckle. Sango wasn't finished.

"We both know he can't stay here forever. I went to his brother, because I needed to do a background check on Inuyasha. And to see from someone who knows him what he is really like." She said, accepting a cup of tea from Kagome.

"What I am _really_ like?!" I asked incredulously. "So you didn't trust me, and felt you needed to invade my past to solve your curiosity?" I grated.

Sango didn't answer, and she didn't look at me, focusing on the cup in her hands. I felt cold rage start to build in me.

"You had _NO RIGHT_!!" I shouted furiously, fire in my veins.

Turning to look at me at last, I was shocked to see hate in Sango's eyes as she jumped up to confront me, her silver knife suddenly appearing in her hand.

"_I HAD **EVERY** RIGHT_!!" She yelled back. "And it's a good thing I did! Your brother told me all about your con games!" She sneered.

My anger was momentarily forgotten in the face of my confusion. Huh?

"Huh?" I said, stunned.

"Oh drop the act! I can't _BELIEVE_ I fell for your bull! How many girls have you conned into giving you whatever you wanted before moving on Inuyasha?! How many people have you ripped off before now?" She said contemptuously.

My mind went blank. How could this be happening?! What could I say? If she already thought I was a liar, she wouldn't believe anything I said!

Desperately I looked over to Kagome, dreading what I would see. My nightmare came true when I saw the shock and doubt on her face. "It's not true, is it? Inuyasha, is it true?! Tell me it isn't, and I will believe you!" Kagome said, tears forming in her eyes.

I felt my heart breaking inside of me, knowing there was no way I could protect her this time.

"No! None of it is true." I said hoarsely, trying to memorize her face, knowing then that my time with Kagome was now going to turn into just a pleasant dream.

I would always remember the kiss we shared, but it looked like it would all end here. Even then I still felt the ghost of her lips against mine. I had never kissed someone like that before. I knew it had been too good to be true!

"Save it! The deal was we would leave you alone if it turned out you weren't a danger. If you weren't a _danger_!" She said fiercely.

Suddenly I laughed, the bitterness I felt coming through strong and clear.

"Kagome, you've never judged me. You're one of the only people I've ever trusted. Thank you." I said, feeling my resolve start to crack at the tears that spilled down her face. She started towards me around the table, but I backed away, shaking my head sadly.

"Wait!" Kagome said around a sob "I believe you Inuyasha! Don't...!" I didn't let her finish. It didn't matter if she believed me or not. Sango was the one with the knife, and friends with more knives. As long as I stayed, she was in danger.

Speaking quickly over her words, I continued. "Not inside her house Sango! Catch me if you can!" I shouted over my shoulder, already running for the door.

I tried to ignore the sudden pain in my chest as I turned the knob. Opening it, I was blasted by a cold draft of howling wind. The storm had really picked up, rain poured almost horizontal as it came driven by the wind. Hardly pausing, I took a few steps outside, stopping in my tracks in surprise. Across the courtyard, blocking the steps out, the shadowy forms of eight men in trench coats waited silently in the dark, standing as though the rain didn't affect them. Maybe it didn't.

Laughing out my defiance, I leaped into the god tree, as Kagome liked to call it, landing on a branch before launching myself further into the air, out and away from pursuit. Behind me, the shouts of the men faded in the distance. With the rain stinging my face with my speed, I laughed. It was either that or cry, and I had sworn never to do that again. I had let go a little in the church, and that was enough. Still, even I couldn't be sure if some of the wetness on my face was just from the rain.

Landing near an alley, I looked around, not seeing anyone nearby. Suddenly a silver dagger appeared out of nowhere, whizzing past my head and imbedding itself into the concrete of the building like the structure was made from cheese. Damn that was sharp! Taking off in a new direction, I ran as hard as I could, glad at least that Kagome was going to be okay.

Let the games begin!

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


	22. Chapter 22 The Long Night

Disclaimer: IF anyone who owns Inu Yasha reads this, can you give the rights to me? PLEASE???  
  
Well, thanks for all your reviews, and sorry if I missed any! Don't think I did this time, But I think I did last chapter, so.. ANYWAY  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 22:  
  
Having fleeing blindly into the night, Inu Yasha found that he couldn't shake his pursuers, no matter what he tried.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
Panting, I wiped water from me eyes as I peered cautiously around a corner, at an intersection of alleys. The charred skeleton of a building loomed ahead of me, it's blackened timbers reaching to the stormy sky, blocking my way as the debris blocked off the path in that direction. A past fire no one had cared enough to clean up, I guessed. The night was no longer so dark, morning light making the timbers and charred beams stand in stark silhouette against the gray of the sky. I had been running all night. In the alleys to my left and right trash and more debris lay scattered; a street bum lay under cardboards near the entrance to the main street a few yards away.  
  
Behind me, further in the maze of alleys I had fled to, I heard the noises of pursuit. Was there no getting rid of these fools?! How the HELL could they keep up with me? Was I low jacked or something? Or was there so many of them they could literally cover every portion of the city? I couldn't think about any of that now. If I stopped to think, I would just picture Kagome again, with tears in her eyes, or Sango, with hate in hers. Anger bubbled up in me as I thought about my brother. It had all been HIS fault! He had managed to destroy my life in an afternoon's conversation! That took talent.  
  
The sudden sound of movement, which I almost missed hearing over the sound of the falling rain, was my only warning before yet another silver dagger streaked out of the night, heading straight for my eye as I turned to look behind me. Ducking, the blade whizzed over my head, imbedding itself with a cracking sound somewhere further down the alley. Glad I wouldn't have to start looking for an eye patch, I leaped forward into the ruins across from me, hoping they might lose me in the ruins.  
  
Spotting the knife that had missed me, I ignored it, running on. I had tried to pick up one of the blades already, only to drop it again as an electric shock had shot through me from the blade, throwing me off my feet. I still had a little trouble using my left hand. I rarely spotted the people chasing me before they spotted me. I had never run into people I couldn't outrun before. I was a little freaked out.  
  
Ducking under a beam, heart pounding, I knelt down under it, protected from the freezing rain for the moment. Behind me, I heard the sounds of movement, before finally the sounds moved on, away from me. Had I finally LOST them? I felt relief shoot through me, making me laugh in little gasps. I had run out of breath back when I had tried to escape by running on the rooftops. Somehow running above the streets was as easy for them as it was for me. It was amazing I hadn't been hit yet!  
  
Now that it seemed like I didn't have to worry about getting pinned to a wall like an insect, I realized how cold I was. Kneeling down underneath the large beam that had once probably held up part of the building, I was protected from the rain. But that didn't protect me from my own clothes, soaked through and clinging to my body in uncomfortable ways, freezing me to my core. It had been close to a week since I had needed to sleep outside; I didn't miss it.  
  
Shivering, clutching myself, I thought frantically about my next move. I needed to find a place out of the rain, someplace safe, but where? Suddenly it came to me; where was the last place someone would look to find a demon? CHURCH! No one would be there for a while, I could hide there until I figured out what to do next! Maybe Miroku could help me out somehow. Grinning at the thought, I took off towards my new goal. Maybe I could find out where Sesshoumaru was, so I could rip his ears off.  
  
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Hours later, the storm not letting up for an instant, the lone figure of Miroku appeared outside the church, ready to finish some re-arrangements in his office he had promised himself he would do.  
  
** Miroku's perspective **  
  
Closing the great oak doors behind myself, which turned most of the noise from the storm outside into a somewhat pleasant background noise, I shook rain from my umbrella, placing it and my raincoat on the coat rack beside the door.  
  
I was amazed at myself that I had actually forced myself to get up this early! But I had to get my office in shape for my date tonight. Michiko, a naive wannabe actress I had met at the grocery store earlier that week, was definitely worth the effort. First I would take her to a restaurant, which happened to be close to the church. The weather station had promised a rainy night. On the way back, we could 'take shelter' in the church. Thinking of all the fun things we could do to get warm from the rain, I sighed happily. Life was good.  
  
That was, until the smell of something burning reached my nose, coming from somewhere inside the church. For a moment I stood confused; how could a fire start in the middle of a rainstorm?! Cursing to myself I hurried inside, hoping it wasn't too late to put it out.  
  
I stopped at the scene in front of me. In the middle of the isle, like a pagan ritual, Inu Yasha stood behind a small pile of burning bibles, naked as the day he was born, my own baseball bat in his fist as he stood facing me. Only this time, curiously, his hair was silver-white, making his demonic appearance more pronounced. His clothes lay discarded near the fire, obviously drying as small wisps of evaporating steam rose from them.  
  
Raising an eyebrow at him as his face turned from a scowl into embarrassment, I smiled. "You know, burning bibles is looked down on in churches, Inu Yasha." I said mildly, knowing getting mad about it wouldn't help either of us.  
  
The strongest emotion I felt at that moment was Jealousy. NO ONE should look that good naked. I couldn't help but think of the fun I could have with the female population of Tokyo if I was built like Inu Yasha. Not that I wasn't in shape! But compared to him? It wasn't FAIR! 'Well, he was a magical being; he cheated,' I rationalized. Which made me feel a lot better.  
  
Giving me an apologetic look, Inu Yasha put the bat down, sitting down in front of the fire, rubbing his hands over the flames for heat. "Sorry Miroku. It's been a long night." He said wearily, passing a slightly trembling hand over his golden eyes. Oh boy, I could tell already this was going to be another one of those days.  
  
Sighing, I joined him at the fire, settling down across from him. "What happened?" I asked as patiently as I could. I hoped it wasn't too serious, I didn't want to cancel my date.  
  
"You remember me talk about Sango?" he asked. When I nodded he continued. "Well, she wants to kill me. Again." He said ruefully. Shaking my head sadly, I sympathized. "Tried to date both the girls eh? It's never wise to play two women in the same house." I said knowingly. God was THAT ever true. It had taken quite a few years for me to learn THAT lesson. Inu Yasha was staring at me, aghast.  
  
"NO that's not-- ! Damn it priest, don't you have ANY morals?!" He shouted, his cheeks turning reddish. Why was he getting embarrassed? Kids these days. "Of course I have morals! Are you blind? Can't you see this priests collar around my neck?" I protested, hooking my thumb into my collar for emphasis.  
  
"Probably stole it." Inu Yasha muttered sourly, staring into the flames. The fire reflected in his eyes, combining with their natural golden color, making them seem to glow. "I resent that! And you still haven't answered my question. What happened?" I said, no heat in my words. Actually, I HAD stolen a priests' outfit once, but this time they were real.  
  
Slowly, Inu Yasha told me about Sango meeting with his brother, and the chaos afterwards as she fell for his lies. What a headache that brother was! First he tortures the kid when he was only a baby, and now this. If I were still acting like I used to act, in my more foolish days, I would go after this Sesshoumaru. I had gotten very good at blackmail and extortion. I could have made his life a living hell. But that was the old me. Still, I felt that familiar fire start to build within me as I listened to Inu Yasha's story.  
  
The first order of business was to clear this up with the ladies. Standing, I started for the door, surprising Inu Yasha. "Where are you going?" He asked, a worried expression crossing his features.  
  
"If you are going to be staying here, you need some supplies!" I lied calmly over my shoulder, watching as Inu Yasha relaxed once more. Picking up my umbrella again, I left the church, heading for the shrine. Luckily Inu Yasha had already told me where to find his girlfriend. There was only one way I could think of to get them on Inu Yasha's side. I hoped he would forgive me for doing it. I cursed to myself, knowing I probably would have to cancel my date. Damn it!  
  
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Meanwhile at the shrine, Kagome and Sango sat, tired after a night of angry yelling.  
  
** Sango's perspective **  
  
Exhausted, I sat on the couch in the family room, my head in my palms, my fingers massaging my temples. I was getting a headache after so much yelling. Kagome and I had been fighting all night. She refused to see how she could possibly have been conned by a half demon. To me, half demon said it all.  
  
"He almost DIED for me!" She had protested, her eyes still red from crying.  
  
"You wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if it weren't for him!" I had countered. It was so obvious! Why wouldn't she see? Still, if I was so convinced, why did I constantly feel like crying? An oppressive weight on my heart kept pressing down, threatening to overwhelm me. I had to admit that I had acted too fast.  
  
But I had been so mad! Sesshoumaru had been so full of answers to the nagging questions I had kept asking myself ever since I met Inu Yasha. And later when I found out who his brother was. Why would Inu Yasha run from someone who so obviously had it together? Why had Inu Yasha not told us much about his brother other than his name? Why would he choose to live in squalor rather than in wealth? From my meeting, his brother seemed both kind and generous. Hardly someone you ran from.  
  
And the way his brother had spoken about Inu Yasha, correctly zeroing in on his personality, while explaining the motives behind the way Inu Yasha acted the way he did. It had seemed so clear! How could someone so good looking NOT know? How could someone like that NOT take advantage girls who would fall for a pretty face? It just fell too neatly into place.  
  
Which might be why I was so bothered by it. Nothing was ever that cut and dry. For instance, if Sesshoumaru hadn't seen his brother since Inu Yasha was ten, how could he con girls into giving him things? It wasn't impossible, but it seemed off. But what other explanation was there? After leaving Sesshoumaru's office, I had felt a rage build in me like none I had known in years. To think I had been taken in just like everyone else!  
  
I had tried to keep my feelings to myself when I saw Inu Yasha when I got back to the shrine, but seeing Kagome in his arms had started the rage anew. I was witnessing his seduction of Kagome first hand! It had seemed like proof enough. Now I just cursed myself for not being able to contain myself. Now I had a loose Hanyou on my hands, and my people had phoned in saying they had lost him sometime this morning.  
  
Looking over at Kagome, who was sitting at the window seat staring out like a lost puppy, I sighed heavily. Poor girl. It was obvious how she had felt about him. It was never easy learning the person you loved wasn't what they seemed. Realizing my thoughts where getting too close to my own memories of when I had been betrayed by the person I had loved, I shook my head to clear it. I had promised myself I would try not to think about that.  
  
Maybe I could make her feel better somehow, an apology maybe. "Kagome--" I started.  
  
Her head came up, as she stared out the window. "Someone's coming!" She interrupted eagerly, hopping up as someone knocked on the front door. Curious, I joined her at the door as she opened it. Standing on the porch was an extremely handsome man about my age, wearing a priest outfit, complete with a white collar, holding an umbrella against the rain. He had short black hair, his bangs framing a pair of eyes so dark blue they almost seemed black. He held himself like a prince, his bearing radiating a certain alert intelligence.  
  
I released a breath I hadn't known I held. He looked so much like Samuel it had frozen my heart for a second. Kagome was significantly less affected than I was. "Oh, hello. Can I help you?" She greeted half heartedly, visibly slumping.  
  
'Hello, you must be Kagome." The young man said cheerfully, bowing low. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Inu Yasha has told me much about you." He finished, eyeing me briefly over Kagome's shoulder before returning his attention to her again. My heart skipped a beat when he had looked at me for that instant. 'It's not HIM'! I scolded myself. Relax!  
  
At the mention of Inu Yasha, Kagome lit up like a Christmas tree. "You know Inu Yasha?!" She asked eagerly, urging him inside, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Indeed I do, Ms. Kagome. Very well in fact." He said respectfully, folding his umbrella. Turning to me, he bowed once more. "And you must be Sango, the one Inu Yasha tells me wants to 'nail him to a wall?'" Feeling my face heat up, I looked away, not able to meet his gaze. "Which is more than he deserves." I said, not able to put any heat into it.  
  
Smiling softly, the priest straightened. "Well, I would ask you to hold your judgment until after I have said my piece. If you still want his head, I suppose there isn't anything we can do about that." He said cheerfully. Smiling at him in return, I nodded my head. He was right about that.  
  
"Do you know where Inu Yasha is, Miroku?" Kagome asked an impatient note entering her tone.  
  
"You know my name?" The priest asked in surprise, eyeing Kagome. Smiling she nodded. "Oh, Inu Yasha told me all about you." She giggled.  
  
"Well, now, umm, none of it true, I am sure." He laughed somewhat uneasily. "Yes, I know where Inu Yasha is, and I will bring you to him, after we are done here." Miroku went on hurriedly after seeing the impatient frowns forming on both our faces.  
  
"First of all, let me tell you why Inu Yasha never talks about his brother." Miroku started, joining us in the family room.  
  
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Wow, chapter 22. there it went! It went by so fast! And before the week was out! YAHOO! My 2-week minimum is intact! Booyah. I hope you all liked Sango a little more in this chapter. It seems people are starting to hate her almost as much as Sesshoumaru LOL. Maybe I went too far, but I don't take back a word! BWAHAHAHAH. Anyway, please tell me what you think! ^_^  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
The Youkai Nightmare - Wow, TWO of em? Damn! Naw, I am sure Sesshoumaru is much worse than you are, no worries there. Caught by mom eh? Gotta be sneakier! Lol. Yeah, Sesshoumaru is finally in! Lol. Sango HAS been a bit much hasn't she. Hopefully you will like her more in this chapter. I don't think your babbling. I do it too! So no worries. (dang, I am saying no worries too much.) Thanks Youkai!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - LOL yeah! Get him HAP! (hides) Yeah, Sango worked her magic again. Don't worry! All will be well I am sure. I think this chapter will answer your last question about Miroku and Sango meeting. Thanks for liking!  
  
Ladykaa28 - Yep, it really WAS to good to be true. Damn it! Hehe actually Sesshoumaru doesn't know about Kagome, yet. And I think the same thing about Kagome. Inu Yasha ran out before she could do anything about it this time. Yeah, about the family, I have a silent timer counting down in my head that calculates when they get back lol. I hope you like this chapter. Thank you!  
  
Karen10 - Thanks Karen! Naw I wasn't in the blackout, I live in California. I watched all the people walking around on the news though lol. Thanks for the compliment!! I try and keep things real. Sorry you had to suffer in the blackout.  
  
Eartha - Close! I thought about it, but I decided that in order to make things work the way I wanted, she really couldn't have that much time to think about things in such depth. She was a bit dense about believing him, BUT these things happen hehe. Thanks Eartha!  
  
Emania - Right on! I am glad I wasn't predictable. At least not totally anyway. Thank you very much! Don't worry about being coherent. My brain doesn't work very well most the time so don't feel bad.  
  
Friend of Shippo - Hehe no worries! I think you will be able to see what happens in the chapter after this one, after reading this chapter. ok did that make sense? More to come, thanks Shippo!  
  
Deus Ex - WOW really? Thank you!!! More to come!  
  
Shelly - Thanks so much Shelly! Yeah, it was kinda depressing eh? This chapter is a little better I hope, and the next will be even better, I hope. I will follow your advice, and thank you for it! I will try my best to let go and have fun with it. I am glad you like the way it seems to be going, and that you are gonna stick with the fiction! Thanks again!  
  
SilverStream - LOL that one was funny hehe. I know, I really am kinda evil aren't I. But you asked for an update, and so here it is! I couldn't ignore you. Thanks SilverStream!  
  
Cryptic Dragon - Thanks Cryptic! More on the way. (salutes)  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - yeah, me neither! And he's not even DONE being a bastard yet. Can you believe it?! Thank you!  
  
Sana ChiChi - Yeah! I feel sorry for em too! And yep, there will be a Sango/Miroku thing. And she will be friends with them, never fear. There is a method to my madness. (I think) Thanks Sana!  
  
CraziAznGurl - Hehe yeah, she is a little too meddling. I decided to hand her a life on a silver platter. (Enter Miroku) Thank you! More coming!  
  
Melodylink - Lol you are absolutely right, Inu Yasha wouldn't give anyone else the time of day! (even if he HAD a watch). It sounds like your problem isn't figuring out what to put in your story like me, so much as figuring out what NOT to put in it. Man I wish I had that kind of vision. And WOW he writes 20 pages before BREAKFAST?! That really puts things in perspective doesn't it. And I guess it proves that some people really do more before breakfast than I do in an entire day. Thanks Melody!  
  
What? - Yeah, I'm not really a fan of politics either. And the guy you're talking about, do you mean that war hero? I hope this chapter makes your Sango hate lessen hehe. Thanks What?!  
  
RaVeN222 - Thanks Raven! Yeah, Sesshoumaru has a lot coming back to him doesn't he lol.  
  
The Unnamed Demon - Thank you very much Demon!!  
  
CrystallineX - Thank you so much! I am very flattered you like my writing! More to come!  
  
Girlwithoutastory - LOL revenge of the writers eh? BWAHAHA. I hope you get him good. Although I might just get him good for you, so no pressure.  
  
Darkangel78 - Yep, without Kagome Inu Yasha would self-destruct! I know it's sad, but thank you for liking the story! Don't worry, I will be writing plenty more fluff. I am glad you liked it!! More to come, thanks again!!  
  
Silver-Eternal-Flame - Hi Silver! Hehe Inu Yasha is too wily to get caught. Well, this time anyway. Yeah, Sesshoumaru aint a fan that's for sure. Thanks!  
  
The B of Elice - Holy Crap!! I kinda feel like I let you down. I'm sorry! I hope this chapter makes it up to you a little bit. Don't worry, Inu Yasha and Kagome's relationship is still intact. So no worries there! I am SO FLATTERED that you went through all of that just to read MY story!! YOU RULE! THANK YOU!! Damn, if your friend would have just let you use their computer for a few minutes it would have saved you a lot of trouble though. Sheesh. Sorry to hear about your computer, hope it gets fixed soon! Thanks again!!  
  
CorruptedAngel - YAY thank you! It's going ok. Well sort of ok, at least. I just spent the weekend painting my grandma's house for her cause she's to old to do it herself LOL. Ahh guess her college is a fair distance from where you are? Sorry if that's so. Wow Volleyball eh? You must be tall? I love to play volleyball, but no way was I ever good enough to play on a team. You must OWN at it. I played on my school Lacross team though. That game is fun as hell. Anyway you have a good summer too! Thanks Theresa, talk to yah soon!  
  
Jamie - (Blush) Thanks so much Jamie! Thank you for such an awesome compliment! First person perspective gets tough for me, cause for each character I do I force myself to think how they think, (if that makes any sense) which is tough for the female characters, and for the bad guys. Cause then I have to guess how they would think and then think that way. Err ok now I KNOW I'm not making any sense. Anyway, Don't worry, your urge to throttle Sango should fade soon (I hope lol) as I get more into her character. Thanks again!  
  
Chiisai-tori - Thanks Chiisai! Yeah, the lose ends can get tough to tie up. I think I have come up with a solution for now, but we will see. I hope this chapter works. And I hope you like it. No problem about the reply, if you write em, I will respond to em! That's my motto. Or was that 'don't mix beer and Tequila'. Oh well! I will stick with the first one! Lol. Thanks again! 


	23. Chapter 23 An Exposed Past

Disclaimer: Whoever owns Inu Yasha needs to hook him up with Kagome more!  
  
Wow, I passed the 300 reviews mark and it looks like I am on my way to 400! WOW!!! Thank you for liking my story. I should warn you all, that in the next couple chapters, it will get fluffy. Oh my. Yes the fluffiness will return with a vengeance.  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 23:  
  
Miroku began to describe to the two shocked girls the horror that was Inu Yasha's life. Miroku, who was gifted with a very good memory, retold everything he knew about Inu Yasha, holding nothing back.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
My mind whirled as I tried to keep straight everything Miroku was telling us. I felt somehow numb. If my house caught fire and burned down around me, I don't think I could have gotten up. I couldn't believe Inu Yasha had never given any hint about how he had been treated as a child at the hands of that monster!  
  
Being forced to drink out of the toilet, and only eating dog food as a child, for years on end?! From the earliest age after his mother had died, he had been beaten before each meal. Games where if he didn't speak like an adult, Sesshoumaru would burn cigar butts into his skin as punishment?!  
  
Not letting Inu Yasha go to the bathroom, then punishing him with a severe beating when he soiled himself!! Who DID that?!! The list seemed endless, as Miroku solemnly sounded them off one by one. A kernel of rage and hate had taken root deep inside of me, focusing into a point, aimed towards Sesshoumaru. I felt like screaming!  
  
He had been treated like an animal the first part of his life, only to run away and live as trash up until now. Hadn't he known any PEACE? I felt slightly nauseous as I thought about the time I had looked down on him for the way he ate. Then I thought of all the times we had laughed together, his golden eyes clear of any shadow of his past. I shuddered at the strength you would need to brush something like that aside.  
  
"WHY?!!" I shouted involuntarily, stopping Miroku in mid sentence as he described another cruel game Sesshoumaru had played with his brother. Sango's face had paled sometime during Miroku's speech, and I knew I probably looked the same way. Miroku, who I got the impression never got ruffled, just turned to me, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Why what?" He asked patiently.  
  
Miroku was very handsome. If Inu Yasha hadn't warned me about him, and if there was no Inu Yasha, I would probably already have a huge crush on him by now. He was funny and smart and I could tell by the way he filled his clothes that he was in very good shape. I only noticed that in passing though. Inu Yasha and his past filled my mind. "Why didn't he just TELL us?!" I demanded, not liking the desperate sound in my own voice. What I really wanted to ask was why could he tell Miroku and not me?!  
  
Staring at me, his blue eyes sparkling, he gave a small laugh. "I asked him that myself! And you know what he said? It was you, Kagome. He cares for you, more than you might think. He didn't want to complicate your life with his 'garbage' as he called it." Warmth spread inside of me, and I felt myself fall just a little more in love with Inu Yasha, as that last comment came home to me. He tried so hard to protect me, the idiot!  
  
"As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure Inu Yasha is going to be very pissed off when he finds out I told you." Miroku reflected. "I hope you two are ready to protect me from him when we see him!" He laughed warmly.  
  
Sango's face had stiffened when he mentioned seeing Inu Yasha, growing even paler, if that was possible. I wondered what she was thinking. I hoped she was over the whole, 'Inu Yasha was a con man' thing! I KNEW he wouldn't do something like that! "Well Sango?" I said, not bothering to keep the taunting tone out of my voice. No mercy! "Do you still want to kill Inu Yasha?" I asked sarcastically from my perch on the window seat. Sango sat with Miroku on the couch.  
  
"Oh god!" She cried. Suddenly Sango's steel mask crumpled, as she hunched over with her face in her palms, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. I felt guilt wash over me in waves. I hadn't meant to make her cry. Some small part of me that still resented her part in all of this kept me from comforting her though. I could be here right now, cuddling with Inu Yasha if she hadn't flown off the handle!  
  
Throwing me a reproving glance, Miroku scooted over on the couch, putting his arms around the crying girl. Responding to his touch, she let herself be pulled to his shoulder as he settled back on the couch, letting her cry herself out against his chest. There was something a little scary about how professionally he had managed to get Sango into such a close hug. Somehow the hug seemed a little too close for someone who was supposed to be a priest.  
  
"I'm sorry Kagome! I'm so sorry!" She cried over and over, her sobs rising and falling like a tide. I couldn't hold it against her after all. She had just been tricked. "It's ok Sango, really." I said at last, as gently as I could.  
  
Smoothing her brown hair back with one hand, Miroku whispered calming words of encouragement into Sango's ear, calming her down. Slowly her crying faded away, until finally she lay with her face against Miroku's chest, exhausted.  
  
It was quiet for a moment as we all thought of something to say that wouldn't be awkward. Finally Miroku broke the silence. "So, Are you both ready to see Inu Yasha?" He asked gently. Sniffling, Sango leaned a little away from Miroku, peering up at his face. "Yeah, I think so." She laughed softly. "And thank you for-- " Suddenly her eyes widened as she stared up into Miroku's eyes, her mouth dropping open slightly.  
  
"Miroku?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Yes?" He responded just as quietly, an innocent look on his face.  
  
"Where is your hand?" Sango asked casually, not breaking eye contact with him. Confused, I looked between them. His hand?  
  
"Pressed into the couch pillows." He said, matching her tone and not looking away.  
  
"Those. Aren't. PILLOWS!" She bit off each word, ending in a shout as she glared at him murderously. As if on cue, both of them jumped to their feet. Rearing back, she struck like a snake, her open hand slap echoing throughout the house. Staring, I blinked in shock at the force of her blow, which had sent him backwards head first over the back of the couch, leaving his legs sticking up in the air.  
  
A soft, muffled groan could be heard coming from the other side of the couch. "Oh. My hand-- must have-- slipped." Miroku said faintly, not moving from his position. Grinning at me as she worked her hand, Sango's cheeks held a deep ting of red in them. "Funny. So did mine. No hard feelings?" She called to him, her face fighting a laugh.  
  
I couldn't help but pitch in. "I thought you were a priest Miroku!!" I giggled.  
  
Pushing himself to his feet, I gasped at seeing the glowing red part of his face. That must have HURT! It served him right! "I AM a priest. See, I will prove it too you. I forgive you, my child." He said solemnly, making the sign of the cross in Sango's direction. Sango and I shared a look, then turned looking into his peaceful face, before all three of us broke out laughing. I could see why Inu Yasha liked him.  
  
Gathering our things, we followed Miroku out the door. I grew excited. I was going to see Inu Yasha again!  
  
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Hehe there goes chapter 23. Short, but fun. I typed it out before I lost it. Lol when I thought about the scene with Miroku and Sango, I thought of an 80's movie I saw once, and I used a little scene of it. I couldn't resist!! I think I changed it enough to make it mine, so I feel no guilt! Anyway, what did you think? Don't worry, fluffy times are ahead, believe it! ^_^  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
Darkangel78 - Sorry about that angel! I don't really know what the problem was either. I got the same message. I had to replace the chapter to make it work right. GRR. Anyway, it should work now. And there will be more, thank you for enjoying! I hope you enjoy the next ones too!  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - Hehe Thanks Kai-Aki! I think you will find some, followed by a little humor. But anyway, I think there are many fluffy times ahead for all four of them.  
  
Jax4 - Thanks Jax! Yep, got a little juicy didn't it. More coming up.  
  
Silver-Eternal-Flame - Lol yeah, of all the things to get jealous of at a time like that! And I couldn't agree with you more about Sesshoumaru! Thanks for liking it! Sorry to hear about your school starting, hope it goes ok!  
  
Girlwithoutastory - Thank you! Yeah, Miroku is a class act all the way (sarcasm on)  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Haha sorry about making you drool! I forget the affect a naked Hanyou can have. Hah, I am glad I cleared up the Sango confusion! Mission accomplished. Yeah, I am not done with the Sesshoumaru conflict. In fact, I have barely begun!  
  
Rads - I try! Thanks Rads! More coming.  
  
Melodylink - I couldn't agree with you more! No really, I TRIED to agree with you more, but I just can't. You are so right! That's how I see it too. Yeah, Inu Yasha doesn't exactly have a good rap sheet when it comes to impressing parents' lol. Thanks Melody!  
  
KeelyErin - Thank you!  
  
Emerald dragon Hanyou - Thanks! Yeah, I hate cliffy too. SO I wrote this. I don't think this is as bad a cliffy, so enjoy!  
  
Xiao-sakura - Thanks Xiao! More to come!  
  
Shelly - Thank you Shelly! Yep, things seem to be shaping up. I think I have a few surprises in store. Time will tell eh? Thanks for the compliments! Heh I like Inu Yasha, and Naruto right now. Oh and I think next chapter will answer your hopes about Inu Yasha and Kagome. Thanks again!  
  
CraziAznGurl - Thank you so much! Yeah, he traded off one pretty gal for two! Not a bad trade off lol. Yeah, and I think Sango is even better in THIS chapter, I hope you like! More coming, promise!  
  
Eartha - nailed it on the head! I think you'll like this chapter. Thanks Eartha!  
  
SilverStream - ok! Your wish is my command! More coming!  
  
Moon2stars142000 - Wow I am glad you found it! Thanks Moon!  
  
Friend of Shippo - BWAHAHAH I am soo evil! But I decided to write a little more, so here is this chapter! Thanks for liking it! Sorry about the cliffy, sometimes I can't resist.  
  
Sesshoumaru6 - Thank you, Sesshoumaru! Eh, that rhymed a little bit..  
  
Flint - AHH! Scary, ok here's the update. (pant pant). Thanks Flint!  
  
ME - Wow that's awesome! I am so happy you like it! Unfortunately for Inu Yasha, the reason he can never have a good life is because I am the writer (evil cackle) yes, it was all me! Bwahahah. Eh.. yeah. Anyway, more coming. Thank you!  
  
Arrow-card - hehe yeah, it really kinda was, wasn't it. No worries, it worked out ok I think. So far. 


	24. Chapter 24 A Bloody Web

And on another note: let me give a special shout out to Jessica and the fighting Panthers!! GO PANTHERS! HELL YEAH!  
  
Disclaimer: I have an Inu Yasha doll. Well, actually no, that's a lie.  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 24:  
  
As Kagome, Miroku, and Sango hurried to join the half-demon, Inu Yasha was busy getting warm. Inside of the church, Inu Yasha put his clothes on, now that they had finally dried.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
I looked into the glowing embers of the small fire I had built to keep warm, in the middle of the isle. I felt small twinges of guilt as I thought about the damage I had done to the floor, not to mention the waste of books. What was I going to do next, steal candy from babies?  
  
I shook my head to clear it as my eyelids drift closed again. God, I was so tired. I still couldn't really figure out how those people had kept up with me, or how I had lost them so suddenly. Stifling a yawn, I settle down on one of the brown wooden benches. Maybe I could sleep a little bit at least.  
  
My body ached as the tension in my muscles released. I felt drained. I don't think there had ever been a time where I had needed to push myself that hard. Feeling myself drift off at last, I heard a noise at the door. With a small groan, I sat bolt upright and rolled off the bench, crouched down with Miroku's bat ready in my hand. I figured it was Miroku returning, but you never knew. Peering over the top of the benches at the entryway, I waited for the intruder to come in where I could see them.  
  
The small figure of a woman in a nuns' uniform entered, surprising me. I gave a small gasp and almost got up when I looked closer at her face. Kagome? I barely caught myself in time, crouching down lower, growing tense once more. No, this was someone else. She had black hair like Kagome, but it was straight cut, her bangs stopping just above her eyebrows; Kagome had a slightly tussled look. She had the same colored eyes, and her face could have been Kagome's twin, but this girl had a serious set to her jaw, and her eyes weren't nearly as soft as Kagome's.  
  
She seemed to be the same age though, even though she acted older with the way she held herself. Seeing her reminded me of Kagome, which did unfortunate things to my stomach, as something like grief shot through me. I missed her already.  
  
Realizing the girl was getting closer to where me and the dying fire was, I crouched lower, knowing I would be caught soon if she didn't stop. Luckily she did. "Father Miroku?" She called uncertainly, her voice clear, like frozen crystal. "Who is here?" She called again after a moment, a firm tone entering her voice now. "If you leave now, I won't call the authorities." She continued after a short pause, calmer than I think she had a right to be if she really did think vandals where in here. Which was what I was, I thought ruefully.  
  
Great! Now what? I thought no one came to this church but Miroku! Well, there was no help for it now; I guess it was time for me to move on. With a defeated sigh, I stood up, dropping the bat and holding my hands out to the sides, palms out so she could see I wasn't armed.  
  
"I was waiting for Miroku to return," I said as calmly as I could, hoping she wouldn't scream or something. Her eyes landed on me, and I braced myself for the usual reaction. Screaming, staring, the inevitable 'what are you?' Nothing was more fun than explaining your very existence to people, I reflected.  
  
Strangely, beyond a slight widening of her eyes, she didn't do ANY of that. Instead, her eyes narrowed in anger, looking much how Kagome looked when she was about to yell at me about something. "I don't care if you where waiting for the POPE to appear; you had no right to BURN our own bibles in the middle of the church!" She said icily, her tone no-where near anything I had heard from Kagome. Shocked I only stared at her. THAT'S all she cared about?!  
  
"I-- " I started to say, at a loss for words.  
  
"I don't care!" She interrupted. She wasn't going to wait for my brain to return from wherever it had gone. "You have one minute to explain what is going on, before I call the police and let them deal with your excuses." She said, that icy tone still in her voice. What the hell! Was she a nun or a drill sergeant?!  
  
The spark of anger grew in me. I had been chased out of the only place that I had felt safe, I had run all night from people who would have liked nothing better than to pin me to the wall and practice their dart throwing skills, and now I was being harassed by an underage NUN with a superiority complex! I was cold, I was tired, I was scared, and I had heard enough!  
  
The girl must have seen something of my emotions on my face, because she suddenly took a wary step away from me. "Fine! Call them!" I shouted, turning my back on her and stalking towards the podium that stood atop a set of steps, centered in front of a large statue of Jesus on a cross.  
  
Turning around underneath the podium, I turned around to regard her. She was staring at me like I had grown a set of horns and a tail. "Tell them whatever the hell you want! But I am waiting right HERE for Miroku! Take it up with him!" I shouted, sitting down and crossing my legs Indian style right there. "FEH!" I huffed, "I could care LESS what you do!" I continued defiantly, as I crossed my arms and leaned my back against the podium, my voice echoing off the walls. Good acoustics in here! I wondered if they ever held concerts.  
  
Ordinarily I would have just run, but not this time, I was too tired; I didn't think I would have been able to go far if I ran away now anyway. I watched as she approached me cautiously, as though I was some lion she half expected to pounce on her. For some reason though, the anger I had seen in her eyes had vanished. Stopping in front of me, she knelt down so she was eye level with me, just out of arms reach.  
  
"Just tell me what's going on. Please." She said calmly, in control of herself again. I stared into her brown eyes, struck once more on how much she looked like Kagome. It made my chest hurt. "My name is Kikyou, by the way." She said after a moment, looking uncomfortably away from my stare. Great, not only did she think I was a vandal, I was probably some kind of sick-o too, in her eyes.  
  
Wearily, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, resting against the wood of the podium. Letting out a long sigh, I decided to try. "My name is Inu Yasha. And-- I'm in trouble. Miroku is helping me; he should be back soon." I explained quietly.  
  
She was quiet for a while as she absorbed that. After some time, I opened my eyes to peer at her, curious at the silence. She was staring at me, and blinked a little in surprise at the eye contact before she looked away again, her cheeks turning red for some reason.  
  
What was that all about? Was she angry again? She didn't smell angry. "What sort of trouble?" She asked, her voice gentle now. It was a nice change; maybe she wouldn't call the cops after all. I was about to explain the trouble, but unfortunately, the trouble decided to take that moment to explain itself.  
  
The scuffle of feet on hard floors was my first clue, the rustle cloth made as someone moved sounding loud in my ears. It was more than one set of feet. Not Miroku then. Jumping to my feet, I shouldered past a startled Kikyou and started for the bench where the bat was. I was too late; eight men in wet brown trench coats came inside, quickly running on either side of the entrance and fanning out to encircle me as I stopped a few feet in front of Kikyou.  
  
"They want to kill me." I told her sadly, over my shoulder. The most unnerving thing about these people was how quiet they were. Aside from the noises they made as they moved, they never seemed to say a word.  
  
"Doesn't anyone care that this is a CHURCH?" I heard her mumble under her breath sourly. I grinned; I don't think I was meant to hear that. Two men blocked the way out, each holding one of those silver daggers in a fist. The others had circled around behind and to the sides. Every direction I could turn was blocked. Well, I guess hiding in the church hadn't been such a good idea after all.  
  
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For her part, Kikyou was a lot more worried than she appeared on the outside.  
  
** Kikyou's perspective **  
  
My heart hammered in my chest as I watched these ruthless looking men encircle Inu Yasha and I. A thousand questions swam through my head, all of them focused around the creature in front of me. What was he? Where did he come from? What was this all about? All of these questions and more demanded an answer.  
  
The worst part of all of this was the attraction I felt whenever I looked at him. He seemed to tug at my soul straight down to the soles of my feet! I had to keep reminding myself of my vow. It was a desire of the flesh, nothing more. All of that seemed like a very silly and weak thing when his eyes had met mine. Was this god's way of testing me?  
  
As an orphan, I had needed something to be a part of. My thoughts had always centered on my desire to dedicate my life to something greater than myself. This life was perfect for me, and I had never looked back after taking my vows at the age of thirteen. Technically, I was too young to take the vows as a nun. I couldn't until I turned eighteen. So I had taken them in private, and did my best to act the part until I could make it official. None of the clergy seemed to mind, and most had even looked on with amusement. Sister Kaede, an elderly nun who had practically raised me, had told me the rules where a formality. If I made a vow with my heart, no technicality mattered.  
  
Now, with only one year to go before I could make it official, I had come here to the church, because I had heard from one of the sisters that perhaps Father Miroku needed help moving things around in his office. I had always liked Father Miroku, who always seemed to have the answers to life's little questions. And as one of the youngest priests in the area, he was something of a role model to me.  
  
I had never questioned or strayed from my calling, never once looked at someone as more than simply another person in need of spiritual aid. Which was why I felt like I was slowly drowning as soon as I had met Inu Yasha. Out of nowhere, feelings of attraction so strong it almost made me feel sick had boiled in my stomach. I was still a little light headed from the shock of it. Why? Yes he was good looking, but so was Father Miroku! What made Inu Yasha so different?  
  
Then before we had time for anything but exchanging names, these men had come to KILL him?! What could I do? Inu Yasha stepped forward, putting up his fists like he could fight all of them at once. "All right, here I am! I don't suppose you'll just let me go?" He said to the people surrounding us, his voice a little wild.  
  
My heart froze in my chest as the men around us exploded into action, in answer to Inu Yasha's question. Instead of charging him, the men started whirling their hands above their heads as though this were a western, and they were using invisible lassos. Each of them then made motions as though the were throwing something, acting like eight crazy mimes as they each strained as though the empty air in their hands actually weighed something.  
  
Suddenly Inu Yasha stiffened in front of me, crying out in shock. Slowly his arms where drawn to his sides, and I could see his clothes bunch as though they were being restricted and compressed by string too fine to see. "What the HELL?!" Inu Yasha shouted in confusion, as he struggled furiously against his invisible bonds.  
  
My feet felt like they were nailed to the floor. But not by whatever magic these people used. I was just too scared to move. Was this really HAPPENING?! It didn't matter, I realized. I had to help him! Spotting a small candleholder about the size of my fist on the podium, I picked it up and hefted it. "Stop it! All of you!" I cried, not liking the frightened sound in my own voice; I was stronger than this!  
  
Inu Yasha grunted and then cried out in pain as the lines on his clothes deepened, finally ripping through the cloth and drawing blood. For the first time I saw what was actually happening, as Inu Yasha's blood, instead of falling to the floor or soaking into his clothes, fanned out like a spider-web in the air around him. The blood spread out, not even dripping, revealing the web of wires that held him in place. This was crazy!  
  
"I warned you!" I shouted as bravely as I could, as I turned to the nearest man to my right and fired the candleholder at his head. With a loud crack it connected with the side of his head, his surprised expression turning numb as he lost consciousness, dropping where he stood. I could only pray it hadn't killed the man.  
  
Inu Yasha had been watching, his face as shocked as the guy I had pegged. "Good shot!" He laughed, before grunting in pain again as the other men tightened their hold.  
  
Not having anything else to throw, I looked around desperately. "Miss, this creature is a demon," the middle-aged man in the center isle said quietly. "We HAVE to kill it." It sounded like the guy wasn't used to talking. His voice was halting and rusty in an odd way.  
  
Then what the man had said entered my head. Inu Yasha was a DEMON?! Well, they said Lucifer was supposed to be good looking. Could this be the same thing? I turned to study Inu Yasha then, my emotions a swirl between rage that I had actually been TALKING to a demon, over to worry for my eternal soul, to confusion over whether Inu Yasha was really all that bad, and finally to sympathy over Inu Yasha's situation. What was the right thing to do?! I was in god's service; could I really help a demon?!  
  
"I'm a HALF DEMON, you bastard," Inu Yasha wheezed, too constricted by the wires to draw an even breath. "And who are you calling an IT?! I'm not a fucking BUG!" He said forcefully, making up for how weak he sounded. Where the invisible wires doing more than just holding him? Inu Yasha was turning pale quickly, the blood fanning out around him not dropping to the floor like it should have. They were draining him?! I thought in shock.  
  
"This is a house of god! You will NOT kill anyone here!" I said, making up my mind. I moved towards Inu Yasha, hoping I could break the lines somehow. I couldn't just let him DIE!  
  
I was stopped in my tracks as the last sound I expected to hear echoed through the church. A cell phone was ringing. The man who spoke looked equally troubled at the disturbance. Bracing himself so he didn't lose his invisible wire, he reached into his pocket, flipping open the phone and answering. His expression grew grim, as he nodded to whatever the person on the other end of the phone said. "Yes, we found him," he said before pausing to listen. "No ma'am," another pause. "Yes, I understand." He said stonily, flipping the phone shut again and returning it to his pocket.  
  
He cleared his throat as he saw that everyone was staring at him. Signaling with his hands to the other men, he dropped his arms letting the hand that held the wires relax. Slowly all the men present did the same. Inu Yasha collapsed as the last man dropped his hands, the blood that had spider webbed around him suddenly fell to the ground from where it hung in the air, splashing in wet drops against the floor in that same web pattern, suddenly normal again. Hurrying to his side, I helped him to his feet as he struggled to stand, taking great gulps of air as he straightened.  
  
"What-- why-- " He started to say, coughing. I was growing worried about the amount of blood he had lost, but this wasn't the time to think about it.  
  
"It has come to our attention that our information about you was false. You are free to go," the man in the trench coat said, his tone making it clear he wasn't happy about this.  
  
Two of the men picked up their fallen comrade, following the others as they filed out of the church, leaving Inu Yasha and I to our selves again. Looking at me, Inu Yasha grinned weakly. "Did I mention I was a half demon?" He asked innocently.  
  
Smiling slightly I shook my head. Wise-ass.  
  
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Now close to the church, Sango hung up her phone, cursing, which only made Kagome worry more.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
I felt my stomach sink as Sango hung up her phone, cursing like a sailor. "What is it Sango?" I asked, not sure I wanted the answer.  
  
Looking at me, her expression softened. "It's nothing Kagome. I just wish I had acted sooner. My men found Inu Yasha. I think I was able to stop them from doing something-- drastic." She said soothingly. Oh thank god! My whole body was tense. I just wanted to close the distance between him and I in an instant. Stupid science! Why haven't they figured out how to teleport yet?!  
  
"How much further Miroku?" I asked, trying to keep the eager tone out of my voice. I think I managed it.  
  
"It's just around this corner," he said calmly as we hurried along, our umbrellas' braced against the wind and rain. I still couldn't believe these guys didn't have a car, or a motorbike at least! Weren't they twenty some- thing years old?  
  
Rounding the corner, the church came into view. It was huge, reaching into the sky, its western design made it all the more unique looking in this area. Coming up to the double doors leading inside, I thought I saw people running the other way in the rain before we got there. Where those Sango's 'people'?  
  
We stepped inside, where there was a waiting room, with another entry way that lead into the main part of the church. Shaking out his umbrella, Miroku turned to me, smiling. "I think you should go in alone for now, Kagome. He might not respond well if he saw Sango right now, or me for that matter when he sees me with you." He reasoned. It made sense to me, but for some reason, I got the impression he just wanted to be alone with Sango. He was everything Inu Yasha had told me.  
  
Sango was looking at Miroku, a suspicious look on her face. Smiling to myself, I decided not to argue. Giving him and Sango a nod, I went through the small corridor leading further into the church. I had never been in a church before, I was amazed at how large and grand it seemed as I stepped under the giant gathering area. The huge stain glass windows in the ceiling made the light dance in a multitude of colors across the walls inside. A huge statue of a man nailed to a cross, stood over a stand at the other end of a long isle, flanked on each side by long benches.  
  
All of this faded to nothing as I saw who stood propped up by a young nun in the middle of the isle, beyond a smoldering pile of ashes.  
  
His head was down, and the young nun was helping him sit. "Inu Yasha." I breathed, feeling relief at finally seeing him safe, mixed with worry over why he needed help standing. My heart thudded in my chest, my relief so powerful that I felt my eyes burn as I held in my tears. At my whisper, his head shot up, his beautiful golden eyes round with shock. Where his ears THAT good?  
  
He was still a distance from me, but I could still see the slow smile spread across his face. "Oh my god. Kagome?" He said in wonder, stumbling to his feet again, moving out of the nuns' care as he came towards me. At his voice my heart pounded faster, if that were possible. As I moved closer to him my relief faded and was replaced by worry. He WAS hurt! What had they DONE to him?! His clothes where shredded in parallel lines around him, stained red, and showing bloodied skin as he moved.  
  
"Don't move!" I cried in worry, running towards him as fast as I could, catching him as he started to sag where he stood. I meant to simply prop him up, but as soon as I touched him, he pulled me into a fierce hug, holding me tight. Feeling heated at his touch, I hugged back, wrapping my arms around him and pressing against his chest, forgetting for the moment about the blood I felt soaking into my clothes.  
  
"I can't believe it. Kagome. I never thought I would-- " He said softly into my hair, choking with emotion. I could feel his body tremble against mine. I was pretty sure it was Inu Yasha doing the trembling. That was when the last twelve hours came crashing home to me. And now he was safe! I started crying into him, equal part happiness at seeing him again and grief as I thought about everything Miroku had told me about Inu Yasha's past. Everything I had been holding back came out, into the arms of the only person I wanted to be with.  
  
Stroking my hair, he rocked me back and forth where we stood. "It's ok now, Kagome. Really." He whispered softly into my ear, the feel of his breath against my skin sending shivers down my spine even as I cried.  
  
"I was so worried about you. I never believed any of it. Not even for a second!" I said as my tears finally died away. I guess crying like that in front of a stranger should have embarrassed me, but it didn't. Not with Inu Yasha there. "Don't ever leave like that again!" I said, suddenly looking up into his face. He had left before I could even defend him!  
  
A small contented looking smile had appeared on his face, making my pulse race faster. I couldn't see his ears from where I was, but his silver hair was in wild tangles around his shoulders, framing his face. Light from above lit it from the other side, shining through, making it look like he was surround by a silver glow. His golden-amber eyes looked liquid as he smiled down at me. He was gorgeous. He had no right to look that good when I was mad at him! Of course, I wasn't really mad. Not at him. And HOW had his hair turned silver again?!  
  
Putting his hand to the side of my face, he used a thumb to wipe away some of the wetness from my cheeks. "Is there ever a time you don't look beautiful?" He asked curiously, as though there was nothing more important than the answer to that. I felt myself freeze, my mouth falling open as I struggled to say something to that. My cheeks started burning, and I buried myself into his chest, trying to hide it.  
  
"What-- stop saying stupid things!" I said into his chest, wondering idly if I could stop going to school and take up Inu Yasha hugging as a career.  
  
Feeling him laugh softly, he hugged me to him again. "So, I take it Miroku came and got you?" He asked, serious now.  
  
I nodded, looking up into his eyes again. "He told us. About everything." I said, holding his gaze with mine. His body tensed as his face took on a somewhat frantic look.  
  
"Everything?" He asked faintly, looking a bit wild.  
  
Grabbing a lock of his hair, I pulled him down a little, forcing him to focus on me. I felt my eyes tearing up again as I thought about it. "Everything, Inu Yasha." I refused to cry again about it anymore. He didn't need pity, I was sure of that. If he could take it, so could I. His mouth worked as he tried to say something.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, that question had burned itself into my brain earlier. And Miroku's explanation hadn't satisfied me. I needed to hear it from Inu Yasha.  
  
"You." He stopped for a moment, swallowing. "You meant too much to me. Did you REALLY need my crap to worry about? On top of everything else?" He asked, his tone trying to make me understand. HE was the one that didn't get it!  
  
"Yes." I said simply, as I leaned up and softly captured his lips with mine. Soft and warm, kissing him was even better this time, even though it was short and quick. Despite everything, my head swam a little at the contact. Breaking away from the kiss, I looked up at him, happily seeing his eyes slightly glazed over. "If it's about you, I need it." I said finally in a firm tone, smiling to take away any sting.  
  
The nun cleared her throat. She had moved away a distance, but I was sure our voices had carried. I felt myself blushing. She had heard EVERYTHING! Was I stupid?! Inu Yasha looked how I felt. His cheeks turned a deep shade of red as he remembered that the nun was there, listening to every word.  
  
Separating, we turned to the nun, who had a slightly annoyed expression on her face. Now that she was closer, I realized with shock that she was beautiful! And my age! Well, a year or two older, if that. I didn't know people my age could even become nuns.  
  
"Kagome," Inu Yasha said. "This is Kikyou."  
  
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WHEW! Can you believe it took me FOUR hours to write this?! It was one of my longest chapters, I think. Well, that was chapter 24, I hoped you liked it! Hmm I really liked writing this chapter. It was hell-a fun. Please review it and tell me what you thought! ^_^  
  
If I miss any reply's let me know! Anyway, I finished this at 10pm on Sunday night. SO I still meet my quota of a min of 2 per week! So there! BWAHAHAHAH. Err, even though this probably won't load into fan-fiction till a few hours from now. Damn it! Oh well hehe.  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
Jax4 - Yeah, they are off to a quick start aren't they Lol. I hope you think this chapter was more fun! I know I did! Thanks for enjoying it! More coming.  
  
The EVIL chibi - Thanks chibi! I think you will like the future chapters too! At least, I HOPE you will. Glad to see you got back to a computer.  
  
CrystallineX - Thanks very much! I try to make my friends laugh all the time. The problem is they laugh a lot when I'm NOT trying too. Which is disturbing. This chapter is my longest yet so I hope you liked it! Thanks again!  
  
Shelly - Yeah, I understand about not being around. In FACT, this coming weekend, I am going to Catalina Island for a little R&R. So I can't throw stones LOL. Thanks, you are always so nice! This chapter might have held a surprise or two for you, but in the end, it's all about Kagome and Inu Yasha lol. Thanks for reviewing and liking the story!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Hahah thanks! I was laughing out loud when I wrote it, I am glad it came through to you too! Lol. I agree with the order of your favorites list. It's the same with me hehe.  
  
Keiri Norou - Thank you! Yeah, wait till you see the scene when Inu Yasha sees Miroku! Hehe. Anyway, more coming!  
  
Ladykaa28 - Ok, The time to beat him down is NOW. He needs a beat down ASAP. Yeah, I guess you're right, that WAS a little conny (not a word lol) of Yasha wasn't it. A LITTLE hehe. And I agree, about kicking Sango out. And I thought of doing it. But I figured I could stretch their argument out long enough BEFORE Kagome finally kicks her out so they could both meet Miroku. And Kagome is such a forgiving soul. Not like me. I'm like you. I would be like "OUT YOU!" Hehe  
  
Girlwithoutastory - Hehe think so? Well, Miroku IS pretty good at the whole seduction thing. Girl never had a chance. Or was it HIM that never had a chance. Oh well lol.  
  
Ryuko - Thank you! Sorry if it took awhile, but here it is! More to come!  
  
Friend of Shippo - Thanks!! Yeah, pretty sickeningly sad wasn't it. And don't worry, this chapter is MUCH longer. I hope you like it!  
  
Sesshoumaru6 - Thanks very much! Yeah, weird mix wasn't it lol. This chapter is more even keeled I think. More coming up!  
  
ME - No problem! Hehe I actually updated so quickly cause I knew I wouldn't be able to write during the week. Tricky eh? But here is the update! Thanks!  
  
What? (chapter 22) - Heh forgot what the whole war hero thing was about. Think I was talking about McKaine, the senator. I think? Oh well forget it, I lost my train of thought. Lol. How is the Sango hate going? Cooled off any? Hehe. Yeah, Kagome is a softy sometimes. And I do mean sometimes. Thanks! I try and update ASAP. Still trying to keep to the 2 chaps per week thing. GO CALIFORNIA! Hehe. Thanks again what?! (Love putting the exclamation point at the end of your name. So fun! Hehe)  
  
What? (chapter 23) - Thanks What?! Hehe I was laughing when I wrote it. I was in a good mood.  
  
CraziAznGurl - Thank you!!! Hehe yeah, it was the first chapter I have done that had such polar opposite moods in such a short period of time. Weird eh? Laugh? Cry? What to do! I hope you like this chapter! More coming!  
  
Melodylink - HEHE thanks! I was wondering if people read those disclaimers. I stopped putting up that I don't own Inu Yasha. I think people got that much by chapter 20 lol. And OH yeah, Inu Yasha is definitely in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for liking the story!  
  
Arrow-card - Lol thanks Arrow! I guess this was one of those times when being unpredictable bites me in the ass LOL. Anyway, I didn't really see your last post as a flame. More like an impassioned response by someone who likes my story enough to be so energetic about what goes on in the story! Eh. Right? Hehe. Anyway, thanks again!  
  
Eartha - Nope, the poor guy really can't help himself. (shakes his head sadly) And yeah, I think this chapter will answer a lot of your questions. I think some of your fears were realized! Ruh Roh! Thanks Eartha!  
  
Cryptic Dragon - WOOHOO! Really? I did that? That makes me so happy that I actually changed someone's mood with my story! That's great! Glad I could help! (chomps on the cake) Thank you very much!! More coming!  
  
The B of Elice - SWEET! And (blush) aww that's so sweet! I can't promise any more Inu Yasha scenes. But I sure won't deny em as they come! People seem to really like those Lol. That is great news about Inu Yasha on the network! I can't wait to watch! Thank you so much!  
  
Emerald dragon Hanyou - haha well you asked! (I think) He had a pretty bad time, I think. (understatement) hehe this chapter doesn't resolve Sango's meeting with Inu Yasha, but next one will! Thank you! More coming up!  
  
Darkangel78 - Hehe yep! I hope you like the fluff in this chapter! It's pretty thick! Anyway, 7th grade sucks it's true. But just wait till you hit 8th grade! It will suck even MORE! So enjoy 7th! It's not as bad as it seems hehe. Bah, the only grade I liked was 12th grade. Everything leading up to it was a long line of suckiness. Thanks Darkangel! I don't mind listening! See yah soon!  
  
Vegito044 - Thank you!! More to come!  
  
EvilBunnies1 - Thank you EvilBunnies! And I am honored to be on your favorites! Yeah, silly Miroku lol.  
  
The Youkai Nightmare (Chapter 22) - 7 notebooks?! OUCH! And you with only 2 arms! The math doesn't add up I tell yah! Eww yeah, carsickness is the worst! I hope you recovered ok. Thanks for the link! Very cool! Thanks again!  
  
Sana ChiChi - HAHA no problem! Thanks Sana! I think I have a few surprises left in me though! So don't get too comfortable. (err well, actually Inu and Kag is pretty much a lock in. So I guess you CAN relax if you want too..)  
  
SilverStream - LOL it's only the holy porcelain god if you have had too much alcohol! Any other time and it's a BAD thing to have your face over the toilet LOL.  
  
CorruptedAngel - You rule more! So does Inu Yasha! Yeah, poor Sango. And I know I WRITE the stuff, so I guess I am making myself laugh, but I can't help it, it's funny damn it! Is that wrong?  
  
Georgesonlygirl - AHH! (Hides while he writes the story) Thank you about the writing thing! (blush) No need to beg hehe, I will finish one of these days. Promise! I mean, I can't write forever. (I asked, god said no) Thanks again!  
  
Raining Fire - Thanks Raining! So you're ME eh? Cool!  
  
Icecream0626 (chapter 6) - I will try!  
  
Icecream0626 (chapter 10) - LOL thanks Icecream! I am glad you like it so much!  
  
Icecream0626 (chapter 23) - Thank you! (eats the candy happily as he watches the police chase ice cream) More coming, thanks for the support!  
  
Kotoko - Thank you so much! I am glad my story hooked you! Even though I am sad I was responsible for sucking two hours from your life. (grins evilly) I am so happy you think I am worthy of the favorites list! Thank you! More coming.  
  
Innocentsakura72 - Thank you very much! More coming!  
  
The Youkai Nightmare - THAT was the movie! I forgot which one it was! I just remembered that little scene when I got to the Miroku/Sango part and couldn't stop laughing my butt off. I HAD to put it in. And lol no the cigarettes didn't go ON his butt, I meant the glowing and hot part of the cigarette. It's called a butt isn't it? (if its not what IS it called? Hmm.) And milk bones are a doggy treat I thought. I don't know, I don't have a dog. But I think they are. I was thinking of the wet canned dog food dogs eat. Or that crap in those large bags lol. I know friends that eat those Lol. I tasted one once. Not my thing. (yucky) And who are Jordan and Amy? (If you told me before I'm sorry, I forgot! But I don't think you told me) Hehe. Anyway, thank you! More coming up!  
  
Sailor X - Damn 7 people eh? Hope it turned out ok! I just went to a party like that. Fun! I like small gatherings. Hehe not sure if that's a word or not, but It' good enough for me. Thanks Sailor! See yah! Have fun out there! Thanks again!  
  
Jessica T It's me - Panthers of some sort eh? Hmm ok! You got it! I'll umm, put it up on top! Not sure what to say though, but I'll put it there right now! There, done hehe. Was that what you had in mind? I can't resist girls with puppy eyes. AHH stop! And (blush) thanks for the compliment!  
  
Jamie - Thanks for understanding Jamie! Yeah, I should probably slow it down huh LOL. But I can't help it! Thanks again!  
  
Dawnfire3 - Thanks Dawnfire! Yeah, the fluff is what makes or breaks this story hehe. Thanks also for the compliments about the character portrayal! I really hoped they would come across nicely. More to come!  
  
RyokoDragonez - AHHH how did the computer get my hammer! (wrestles for sledgehammer supremacy) WHEW! TAKE THAT! Ehh heh. Well that was close. Thanks for reviewing! My computer seems ok for now hehe.  
  
Karen10 - Thanks! I will!  
  
Hishan - WOW SWEET! Thanks for such a great compliment! I am so honored! More coming! I hope you like this chapter too!  
  
Blackcloud - Hehe thank you so much! I will keep writing, so hang in there!  
  
Zonza - Thank you so VERY MUCH! I am so happy you like it! And you understand Sango's feelings perfectly! More coming, I hope you like this chapter! And thanks again!  
  
Serenity - heh, I still really like your name! Thank you so much for liking this so much! I am flattered. I hope this chapter will satisfy as far as Inu Yasha and Kagome meeting goes. Don't worry about your English, if I can understand it, it's good enough. ^_^ I mean, I am American and I can hardly speak English myself! (sob) j/k Hehe.  
  
The Random Queen - Glad to see you back! Ahh to bad you have to share your computer. I am lucky in that I have my own private one. And yeah! Your worries are justified! I hope you like this chapter. Thank you! More coming.  
  
Classified - Thank you so much Classified!! That is so flattering!! Haha I can't tell you how relieved I am you didn't find anything to improve on! It means I am doing my job! YAHOO! But if you DO spot something don't worry, I can take it. (I think) hehe. More coming, please don't cry!  
  
Silver-Eternal-Flame - I'm not sure! I think he is gifted at it personally lol. I'm not sure, but he might have bribed his way into priesthood lol. 3 tests in a week? What are they, psycho?! Anyway, thanks Silver!  
  
Kai-Aka Ti - Hehe yeah, strange mixture of emotions eh? I hope this chapter satisfies! Thanks Kai!!  
  
Inuficcrzy - Oh that's the thing! Sesshoumaru ISN'T a demon, but in fact he really is human. Sesshoumaru's mother and father was both human. While Inu Yasha's mother had a fling with a demon, which created Inu Yasha. Which is why Sesshoumaru hates Inu Yasha, cause he sees Inu Yasha as the reason his family broke up. And because he was human, Sango was more inclined to believe Him over Inu Yasha, because of her hatred of all demons hehe. And Jaken is human too. That little squirt. Yeah, Sango is gonna be really sorry hehe. I am not sure if she will grovel or not, but it's a good idea! Thanks for liking the intro! I am not sure when Miroku will hit on Kagome. I just know he WILL hehe. I'm not even sure how serious he will be about it. Anyway, I hope that cleared some things up! Thank you again!!  
  
And that's it for the replies! Thank you all so much! 


	25. Chapter 25 Earthquake!

Disclaimer: Kikyou will never have Inu Yasha!  
  
I notice a lot of people worried over whether or not Kikyou will get between Inu Yasha and Kagome. This might ruin the story a little, but Kikyou will not be interfering with either Inu Yasha/Kagome OR Sango/Miroku. I have other plans for her. So don't worry!! I don't think it ruins the story too much by saying that. I think I have enough going on that it won't matter that you know or not ^_^  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 25:  
  
The sky was a dark gray, the clouds churned in the sky as the rain fell down hard. It was impossible to tell just by looking that it was noon. Inside the church, with her finally reunited with Inu Yasha, Kagome remembered something very important.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
"I missed school!" I cried suddenly, surprising Kikyou and Inu Yasha. Kikyou raised an eyebrow at me coolly, while Inu Yasha just stared at me blankly. How was I going to explain this to my teachers? I didn't have a parent or guardian around to excuse me. They would know I ditched; I would get detention for sure!  
  
"Is it really so important?" Miroku's voice said from behind me. Turning we watched as Miroku come towards us, followed by a nervous looking Sango.  
  
"Can't you just tell them you were sick?" Inu Yasha added curiously, his cute white ears twitching atop his head.  
  
Before I could respond, Kikyou surprised us all. "Father Miroku!" She said excitedly, rushing past Inu Yasha and I and throwing herself into Miroku's shocked arms. So, she DID have more than one emotion, I had begun to wonder about her. It seemed she had two modes, Serene and Icy. Anything else she kept hidden. "Thank god!" She said, her shoulders shaking with suppressed emotion.  
  
Recovering quickly, Miroku calmly hugged her, and patted her on the back, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry we were so late." He said to Inu Yasha over her head.  
  
Inu Yasha made a huffing sound and walked over to Miroku, a dangerous look in his eye. "So, you went out to get some supplies did you?" Inu Yasha said calmly, peering at Miroku closely.  
  
Miroku eyed Inu Yasha and laughed nervously, hugging the trembling Kikyou closer. "Ah hah, well you see the funniest thing happened on the way-- " He began slowly. It suddenly seemed like his hug with Kikyou was more to shield himself from Inu Yasha than anything else. Sango stood off to the side; alternately darting shamed glances at Inu Yasha, and frowning slightly at Kikyou and Miroku. What did she have against Miroku?  
  
"DAMN PRIEST!! Why did you have to tell them EVERYTHING?!" Inu Yasha raged, making everyone jump. I couldn't look away from Inu Yasha, even as he railed at Miroku. I couldn't help but take the opportunity to stare at him while he wasn't looking. Did I really love him? Or was it just some crush because of his looks? How could I know for sure? I had never felt like this towards anyone before. It had to be love, right?  
  
Then the other thing that was on my mind superimposed itself over my thoughts of Inu Yasha. School! What was I going to do?! Mom was going to KILL me! I had promised her I wouldn't miss any days unless I had a huge fever or something. I would lie to her about it, but I was HORRIBLE at it! My mom saw right through me every time I tried. But maybe since this would be over the phone, I might have a chance. I had to try!  
  
With that settled in my mind, I realized Inu Yasha hadn't stopped yelling the entire time. Kikyou stood next to Sango, a surprised look on both their faces as they watched Inu Yasha put Miroku in a head lock, knocking on the top of the poor priests head with his knuckles like the priest was a door. Miroku was ineffectually coving his head while pleading for mercy.  
  
"Inu Yasha!" I said sharply, outraged. His hand froze in mid-knock, his ears wilting slightly as his gaze snapped on me, the wicked grin that had been on his face slowly disappearing. He was the image of someone caught doing something they shouldn't have. Not about to be put off, I put my hands on my hips. "Don't give me that look! Let him go; he was only trying to help!"  
  
"Yeah, I was only helping!" Miroku put in, unwisely.  
  
Frowning down at Miroku, Inu Yasha gave him another rap on the head. "Telling them every little dirty secret about me was HELPING?" He said doubtfully, delivering another sharp knock almost absentmindedly. Miroku was starting to go a little cross-eyed. It would have been funny any other time; I considered it karma for the twisted things he did in the past. But this time, he really didn't deserve it.  
  
"Inu Yasha, it shames me but, if Miroku hadn't told us, you would be dead right now." Sango said quietly, her back straight and her chin out. "I am so sorry, Inu Yasha. I-- If I had known I would never have-- " She was trying to be strong, but even I could see her chin tremble slightly.  
  
Inu Yasha stared into Sango's eyes, slowly nodding in understanding. "It's ok, I guess. I probably wouldn't have believed me either." Inu Yasha laughed. Sango let out a small breath, her eyes shining as she bowed to him in thanks.  
  
Finding out that she had betrayed Inu Yasha on the words of someone who used to torture him as a kid had hit her hard. It had hit me hard too, but I felt a surge of pride in myself knowing that I hadn't fallen for it. He would never do those things, not MY Inu Yasha!  
  
Even though I said it to myself, I looked around quickly feeling the embarrassment grow inside when I realized I had just claimed him as MINE. Still I wished it were true. A few kisses don't equal a relationship though, and I still had no idea how he felt about me. Every time, it had been ME that had kissed HIM. I knew he liked me, but like that?  
  
Miroku had said something that I missed. But Inu Yasha had let him go, at least. Unfortunately, I realized that whatever Miroku had said had been aimed at me. Damn I was thinking about Inu Yasha too much! Four sets of eyes were looking at me expectantly, and I had no idea why.  
  
"Um, What?" I asked, my cheeks heating up. Damn that boy, it was getting so I couldn't think of ANYTHING.  
  
"I said, are you ok? You seem distracted." Miroku said, looking at me with an eyebrow raised. Inu Yasha was looking at me with concern in his eyes, while Sango and Kikyou where both just looking.  
  
Carefully not looking at Inu Yasha, I shook my head. "I'm fine!" I said as brightly as I could. I was going to add something else, but that was when the world started to tilt.  
  
It started gently at first, a low almost gentle tremble in the ground. I looked around in confusion trying to understand what it was. Then everything just started shaking, a sound like rocks grinding together filling the air as I lost my balance and fell to the floor.  
  
"Earthquake!" Sango shouted above the noise.  
  
"Get under the benches!" Miroku ordered urgently, as the shaking grew even worse. High above us, the multicolored windows of the church shattered, showering us with rainbow colored fragments as we scrambled underneath the benches on ether side of us. Rain and wind followed into the sudden void, filling the air with more noise from outside. I heard things hit solidly against the ceiling of my bench as debris shaken loose from above fell down around us.  
  
A great cracking sounded, above the noise, followed by the low base groaning sound only heavy stone or wood made, as it's weight shifted. Peeking out from my vantage underneath the bench near the podium, I looked up in horror, as the giant statue of the man on the cross, seemed to fall towards me in slow motion.  
  
"Inu Yasha!!" I screamed, the name coming to my lips without thought.  
  
Frozen, knowing I didn't have time to move, I watched in morbid fascination as the shadow of the statue blocked out my vision. Suddenly a form stood over me, blocking the statue from sight. Before I could comprehend more than that, a shattering sound deafened me, and I was blasted by rubble as the statue disintegrated around me. Something hit my head, a searing pain shooting through me, followed by numbness as the world faded away. The last thing I saw was the tilted view of the ground, with feet in front of me inside a pair of shoes I remember buying for Inu Yasha just a few days before.  
  
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A short chapter with a nasty cliffy eh? No worries, I will update soon! (I hope. I am going to Catalina Island tomorrow, SO I am trying to finish today.) I wrote this much, but since I might not finish, I decided to put this up so you know I'm still alive. IF I don't make it today, I will be back Sunday sometime, and so expect and update then! Hey, it was either this or nothing, as I type out the rest. ^_^  
  
Please don't hate me! Lol.  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
Zonza - Yeah, Don't you love those touching moments? Thank you for liking the story! (I say thank you a lot I know lol) I haven't figured out the perfect way for Sango and Miroku to get together without horning in on the main Inu Yasha and Kagome theme, but I'm working on it. I think I found a way, so we will see! And I am not really a fan of Kikyou myself, but I need her in this story. Thanks again Zonza!  
  
Inuficcrzy - Hmm, as far as I know right now, the only demon that MIGHT appear in this is Shippo. I haven't decided on whether to make him human or demon. It depends on if it makes sense in the story. Kikyou won't cause Inu/Kagome or Sango/Miroku and problems. Thanks for the chocolate flavored jellybeans!! Yum! Thanks for the support Inuficcrzy!!  
  
Melodylink - Yeah, he does a good job at keeping his real self from the people he works with, at least lol. You are right on all counts about Kikyou, she is not a threat in this fiction. I need her for something else. Thank you so much for the compliment!! I am glad you liked the fluff! I'm not done with it either bwahahah. And yeah, those mobile phones always seem to go off when you don't want 'em to. Thanks again Melody!  
  
Moonman - THANK YOU moonman!! I am very flattered. It's good to know the detail is appreciated lol. Yeah, I can't believe I'm even doing this myself. I am so happy you enjoyed it! And I am honored to be one of the authors you wrote a longer than normal review for! To many exclamation points!! AHHH!!!  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - Yeah, it WAS kinda wasn't it? I am glad you liked! More coming thanks!  
  
ME - As far as Kagome and Inu Yasha, or Sango and Miroku goes, there won't be any problems. Those are the only people I am guaranteeing though! I am not decided on whether to make her stay a nun or not, but I think you might be right. Yep, plenty more Inu/Kagome fluff to come! So no worries! Thanks for enjoying!!  
  
Ash-chan - Lol don't worry Ash-chan, she won't interfere. Inu and Kagome are safe.  
  
Georgesonlygirl - Thank you Georgesonlygirl!! (Blush)  
  
Eartha - Well, she will be confused in this fiction. I have different plans for her than the generic 'I want Inu Yasha but can't have him' thing. Thanks Eartha! I really enjoyed writing that reunion. More coming!  
  
Rhewvru - Thank you for choosing to review me! I love the feedback. Thank you for liking it too!! And I really don't like Kikyou either, but she is needed, trust me. Don't worry she won't be meddling in Inu Yasha and Kagome's relationship. And you can be sure I will put in plenty of Sango and Miroku fluff. It will be in the future, but it will be there. I have to figure out how to do it so it doesn't seem contrived, but I think I might have a solution. Thanks again Rhewvru!!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - To be completely honest; I really don't like Kikyou at all. At least, in the series I don't. But understand, to me she isn't evil at all. Instead, she is just a lost soul. The reason I don't like her stems from the fact that I hate her coming between Inu Yasha and Kagome all the damn time in the series, even when it's not really her fault a lot of times. I felt no reason to carry over my frustration with her in the series over to my own fiction. So I am trying to write her as I see her. Hah I read your mind about the updating eh? (Twilight-zone music plays) Thanks for liking it!!!  
  
Jax4 - Thank you very much Jax!! I agree with your sentiments about Kikyou. She isn't a favorite of mine either. (Far from it) And as far as my plans with her go, I am pretty sure at this point in time that she won't turn into some evil or warped personality. I have other plans for her. I am so happy I managed to impress somebody! My day has officially been MADE. Thanks again, more coming!  
  
Karen10 - Thanks Karen! Kinda. I remembered the episode where Kagome grabbed the hair and her hand bled so Inu Yasha could see it, and I thought to myself, it would be kinda cool if it was a magical wire than sucked the blood, and used as a weapon. So that's what I did! More coming!  
  
Ladykaa28 - heh, I think after the next few chapters we will see Sesshoumaru again. And there will be a confrontation, although that's all I'm saying about that. Well, I am glad Sango redeemed herself a little at least. And don't worry, she won't interfere with Inu Yasha and Kagome, so I don't think Kikyou will need a beating. DAMN you sound tough! Think maybe we should go around town beating people up for their lunch money? Let me know! Lol.  
  
DevilishGrl17 - Thank you DevilGrl!! Yeah, I thought it would be fitting if she were a nun. Don't you? Don't worry; I'm not a real fan of her either. BUT you don't need to worry, as she and Inu Yasha aren't gonna happen in this fiction.  
  
Emania - Wow THANK YOU Emania! That is so nice of you to say! It is good news to me if it seems like I am improving. Now that you mention it, it does seem to be poetic justice doesn't it? I didn't plan it like that though, I wasn't even thinking of that. Maybe my subconscious was though, and it came through, because I always hated Kikyou for doing that to Kagome. Thanks again! More coming!  
  
Jessica T it's Me - I agree with you. I don't like Kikyou because of that as well. SO it won't BE like that in my fiction. If they run into snags, rest assured it won't be because of Kikyou. Hmm and your book sounds like it knows what it's talking about. BUT, that doesn't translate into the person reading being superficial, shallow OR cynical. The simple desire to be entertained is unconnected with those traits in my opinion. Throw that damn English book away! Lol. You want it? You got it! This fiction will remain Inu Yasha and Kagome to the end! I hope that helps (comforts) ^_^  
  
CrystallineX - Yeah it is disturbing. Well, Kikyou isn't a full nun, more of a nun in training, but don't worry! She won't get in the way of Inu Yasha and Kagome! Thanks for liking it Crystalline!!  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 19) - Thank you very much!! Yeah, his self- esteem was pretty much crushed by his brother and the world hating him. He needs a little work lol.  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 20) - Thanks again for liking it! Yeah, she really needs to ring the doorbell or something first.  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 21) - Thanks! Yeah, Sesshoumaru is a pretty large ass in this. But I might change that in the future, so cheer up!  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 22) - Nope, she doesn't trust anyone really. Not yet anyway. Thanks again!  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 23) - Hehe don't worry, she ain't evil here. You might even like her when I am done! Thanks once more!!  
  
Jamie - I thought people might like that better! No one complained, but when it annoyed ME when I went to look at it, I knew it HAD to annoy you guys. Yeah, I thought she fit as a nun too! I don't think she is evil, just lost in the main series. She won't be a royal bitch in my fan-fiction. She won't interfere with Inu Yasha and Kagome either. Hehe I am so glad you like the story! BOOYAH! ! 10 points eh? Sweet! (Is that 10 out of 10 or 10 out of 10000?) Lol.  
  
Sailor X - Thank you so much Sailor!! I am honored to be on your top 10!! Aww doesn't it suck when they eat you out of house and home? I know they are relatives, but DAMN that gets expensive. I can't wait to do it to MY relatives BWAHAHAHAH. (Evil grin)  
  
Cryptic Dragon - (munch) dank you berry much! (Munch) Lol I hate her too, but she won't give you a reason to hate her in this. At least, I don't THINK she will, so rest easy. Thanks for liking the story! More coming!  
  
Friend of Shippo - Thank you friend of Shippo!!! I am glad to see it reached you like that! More coming, and thanks again!!  
  
The EVIL chibi - Lol I agree, Inu and Kagome all the way! Don't worry, I have different plans for Kikyou than you might expect.  
  
Suzuka neko demon - Thank you Sazuka! Don't worry; Kikyou won't be the main attraction. I don't like Kikyou either, but I felt I needed her in this for something else I have planned. It won't interfere with Inu/Kagome. Thanks again!!  
  
What? - Thank you What?! Sweet! Glad to see the hatred dimming. Rest assured, this is and always will be Inu Yasha and Kagome. Kikyou will not interfere.  
  
RyokoDragonez - But! But! I got me own sledgehammer after you told me I should get one! Yeah, it's ok, for NOW. And thank you! I tried to make that scene as cute as possible. But who is Rumiko? And nope, Kikyou won't get in the way, honest! (watches as a computer chase her down the hall with a plastic sledgehammer.) LOL thanks again!!  
  
Innocentsakura72 - Thank you innocentsakura!! I am POSITIVE that you can write your own fan-fiction. That was the question I was trying to answer when I started this. If out of all people I can, I am sure you can too! Good luck, I hope you write soon! And thanks for reviewing!  
  
Sana ChiChi - More Inu Yasha and Kagome fluff coming up! And don't worry, Kikyou won't, that is a promise. Thank you so much for liking it! I am so flattered it is one of your favorites!!  
  
Mistress Storm Crow - Thank you Mistress Storm Crow!! Lol And kiss Kagome shall. In the future that is.  
  
CraziAznGurl - Thank you very much!! It was sort of nice wasn't it lol. More coming!!  
  
Chiisai-tori - Welcome back Chiisai-tori! I really kinda did have to, I have something in mind for the group to go through, and I need her there for something. Don't worry, Inu and Kagome are safe. Thank you again for the compliment! Wow Australia. I always wanted to go there.  
  
Holly - WOW thank you VERY MUCH holly! Yeah, I started it two months ago. Hard to believe looking back lol. Originally this was only going to be like a 5 chapter story. The reviews spurred me on. Thank you so much again, for the compliments and for the fact that you love it so much! More coming!  
  
Kyoko - Lol Review soon? Eh hmm. I don't think I am capable of reviewing my own story. Did you mean update soon? Cause I will I promise! You must have been typing FAST, that is the impression I get anyway lol. But see you soon I hope! Thank you!!  
  
The B of Elice - Aww (blush) there you go again being all sweet! (gasp) marriage? (looks like a cornered rabbit) what to do?! LOL. Man everything was lost on your computer eh? That sucks. Hope nothing really important was on it! I am glad to hear things are working smoothly again though!! Sweet! Congratulations! I am so happy you are so pleased with the story!! Thank you so much!  
  
Mistress RinRin - WOW!! You liked it so much you linked it to your web site?? That is SO SWEET! THANK YOU!! I am so honored!! I never expected something like that! Thank you for liking it so much! (em, to many exclamations again huh..)  
  
Neko - Thanks Neko!! There is an Inu Yasha game? Cool! Is it fun? Thanks again more coming!  
  
Silver-Eternal-Flame - Yeah, she's back! But she won't be evil or manipulative I promise. No problem, school and all that I understand. Don't yah hate it? Heh Spanish eh? Where I live, San Diego, you almost HAVE to know a little Spanish. It's almost a requirement. Art was my most advanced class! I LOVED art! Although the teacher kinda sucked. He almost never actually taught us anything. Lol. Anyway, thanks Silver! See you soon I hope!  
  
And that's it for the replies! Thanks again everyone! More on the way! 


	26. Chapter 26 House of Crumbling Stone

Disclaimer: About the series: How do Inu Yasha and Kagome manage to spend 24 hours a day, for weeks at a time with each other, and still have nothing happen between them?! Huh?!  
  
I really consider this chapter to be chapter 25B. It was what I meant to include in the last chapter.  
  
Hi, I am back from Catalina Island! Yah it was a great trip! I snorkeled and tanned and generally had a fun time! Haha, I didn't realize this when I left, but it turns out we stayed until MONDAY, instead of Sunday. Oops! I got the day wrong when I told you guys, SO I couldn't start this chapter till late Monday night and early Tuesday. Sorry! But anyway, here is the chapter! I hope you enjoy.  
  
Oh and I have a question. What does the phrase "Mary Sue" mean? I was reading another fiction and people where throwing that term around all over the place. It sounded bad. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks! Lol.  
  
OH, and I think you should know I have decided that Shippo WILL be in this fiction. And will appear soon.  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 26:  
  
The people of the city of Tokyo know earthquakes. And with that knowledge, comes comfort. Ordinarily the people going about their lives in office buildings and walking about traffic didn't give the earth shaking much thought beyond a slightly worried pause, hoping in the back of their minds that it wouldn't turn into something more than a mild tremor. Those hopes were dashed when the tremor not only didn't stop but also increased in power, as it has been known to do every now and then.  
  
The newer parts of the city, built to resist earthquakes, simply rode it out, the people inside bracing themselves under doorways as they calmly waited to resume their lives after the rude interruption by Mother Nature. The older part of the city was made differently though. Those buildings, made from wood decades old, or sometimes-even brick, felt the earthquake strongly, the people inside screaming as a wall fell here, or a roof caved in there. With the tremors fading away at last, news stations across the country reported a 7.0 on the scale.  
  
Fire sirens and emergency trucks were almost instantly crisscrossing the city as casualties were reported, and help was sent. Inside one of those older structures, in an old church that had been closed for renovations, another casualty of the earthquake wasn't lucky enough for an emergency response.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
I coughed as the rubble and debris clouded my view of Kagome below me, as I crouched on all fours, braced above her. My heart thudded in my chest and my blood roared in my ears, as I settled back on my heels, coughing and waving my hand to clear away the dust and powdered rock that seemed alive in the air around me.  
  
My vision blurred as the pain in the back of my head intensified. I was a little amazed I had stayed conscious! I had rushed over to Kagome, hoping to pick her up and get her away before the statue fell, but realized as I moved that I had no time. The huge statue had caught me straight across the back and on my head as I stood over Kagome, when I had paused for a fraction of a second trying to think of what to do. The strength of the hit had driven me right to my knees where I was now.  
  
I had been worried I wouldn't be able to reach her in time before the statue claimed her. The adrenaline I felt as I realized I had never moved so fast before in my life made me choke out a chuckle, proud I had managed to pull it off with so little blood from my fight with those men. With the dust clearing a little I saw Kagome's form curled into a ball below me, unmoving beneath a layer of small rubble and dust.  
  
"Kagome." I said, shaking her leg gently with a hand as I choked on more dust. All around Kagome and I the benches lay shattered and broken from the force of the large statues impact. I hoped the others had chosen different benches. "Kagome, it's ok now." I said when I got no response, shaking her a little harder as my worry grew.  
  
What was wrong? "Kagome?" I said, growing a little frantic as I turned her over onto her back, fear crawling into my belly. "No, KAGOME!!" For a second I wondered who had shouted, until I found that it had been me. I gave a small, strangled little grunt, not trusting myself to speak further when I saw the blood mixed with dirt matting her hair to her temple.  
  
NO! This couldn't be happening! I had made it! I had gotten there in time! It wasn't FAIR!! I watched in numb terror as dark blood started sliding freely down her temple, covering the side of her face before disappearing into her hair. I felt like howling, but kept it locked up tight, afraid that if I lost it now, I would tear the rest of the church down around me. Right now, I could do it.  
  
I thought I heard Sango call my name from somewhere, but all I could focus on was Kagome. My hands trembling, I quickly threw off my jacket, before seizing a sleeve of my shirt and ripping it off. Ripping it was easier than usual, since it was already sliced from my encounter with those men earlier.  
  
Twirling it into a cord quickly, I held the back of her head up gently as I wound it around her head, tying it off as best I could. With her blood soaking into it, my already red shirtsleeve-turned-bandage grew so dark red it almost seemed black. The only thing that saved my sanity was the sight of her chest rise and fall as she took quiet breaths.  
  
Abruptly I realized Sango was yelling my name from across the room. "What?" I said hollowly, not able to put any emotion into my voice. At least Kagome was alive, but for how long? She needed a doctor! "I said are you ok? How is Kagome?" her voice sounded winded. Looking up, I watched in a daze as she and Kikyou propped a visibly limping Miroku up as they came towards me.  
  
What was I supposed to do? I had heard somewhere that you weren't supposed to move someone with a hurt head! I had never had to take care of someone before. This was all new territory for me. I had never WANTED to take care of someone before!  
  
"Help." I croaked, my voice rough. "HELP HER!" I cried into Sango's shocked expression, not caring that my voice cracked. "She's-- she got hurt. I couldn't protect-- " I shut up, not trusting myself to speak further.  
  
I had failed the only person I cared about. She was hurt because I had been too slow! Settling Miroku into a bench close by, Sango and Kikyou came closer, shouldering me aside as they moved to either side of Kagome. Kikyou, an expert look on her face, thumbed Kagome's eyelid open, making a noise in her throat as she frowned in thought.  
  
Turning she looked at me and smiled. "I think she will be fine, Inu Yasha." She said pleasantly, as though we were out at a picnic instead of talking about Kagome's health! Still, my breath left my body at the news; I suddenly felt weak. "But she might have a concussion, it's hard to tell with head wounds. I will need the first aid kit in the back storage room, so I will be right back." She concluded, starting to rise.  
  
Sango grabbed her arm, surprising us all. "I'll get it." She said gently. Eyeing her quickly, Kikyou gave a quick nod. "It's the third room on the right, down the hall." She instructed, pointing at a door towards the back of the church that must lead to the offices in back. With a smile Sango rose, heading to the door. With a start I realized one of her arms hung limply at her side as she walked. And not a word out of her! I was impressed.  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Inu Yasha." Miroku said suddenly, jolting me out of my thoughts. Looking over to Miroku, I saw he was staring after Sango as well, a small smile on his lips. His blue eyes had a speculative look in them as he watched her. I suddenly felt sorry for Sango; I should probably warn her about him.  
  
How had he known what I was thinking? Was I that transparent?!  
  
"Keh." I snorted, looking away. "Who said I-- " I started to say, knowing he wouldn't believe the act, but the words died on my lips as my gaze came back to Kagome. She looked so peaceful. But she was pale now, her usual color faded and unhealthy looking. I felt something like bile start to rise in my throat, before I choked it down again.  
  
Swallowing, I just snorted softly, hoping Miroku would drop it. It HAD been my fault. If I had just chosen the bench she was under in the first place, this could have been avoided! Or better yet, if I had just let them kill me outside, she wouldn't have been dragged to the church, and this wouldn't have happened!  
  
Miroku shook his head as his gaze settled on me sternly, as though he could read my every thought. "Look at yourself Inu Yasha! Half your blood is on the floor! You did everything you could!" He scolded, his voice dripping with disgust at my blindness. Great, I've lived sixteen years of life, and now HE thinks to be my mother?!  
  
Faintly, I heard a ringing sound in the distance. A phone? "Miroku, you have a phone?" I asked eagerly, feeling hope rush through me. Looking at me in confusion at the change of topic, he nodded slowly. "Yes, but I thought it was unplugged. How did you know?"  
  
The ringing stopped in the distance. But then started again after a moment. Whoever was calling wasn't giving up. "I can hear it ringing." I said simply. "If you have a phone, you can call an ambulance!" I finished, jumping to my feet in my excitement. Bad move; my sight blurred and strange spots raced across my vision, as a wave of dizziness caused me to sit back down again with a groan.  
  
Kikyou looked to Miroku in alarm. "I should get it, Father Miroku, it might be important." She said, starting to rise. Again she was stopped, as Miroku straightened up on his own, a strangely worried look flashing across his face, as though he were just remembering something.  
  
"Don't worry yourself, Sister Kikyou, you are needed here." He said over his shoulder as he calmly walked towards his office area, his previous limp nowhere to be seen. He had faked his injury so the two women would support him?! I thought in shock. "Call an ambulance, stupid priest!" I yelled after his retreating back. Really! How HAD he become a priest?!  
  
Kikyou was staring after him, a confused look on her face as she also saw how easily he walked. "He's right, you know." She said then, not looking at me. Startled I stared at her. Somehow I hadn't expected her to side with Miroku. "What?" I said dumbly.  
  
Kikyou turned to me as she continued. "You did everything you could. I haven't known you long Inu Yasha, but blaming yourself for things you can't control is a waste of time." Snorting I kept my gaze locked on Kagome's face, not knowing if I had ever felt this helpless.  
  
Looking down at Kagome's still form, I felt a hand around my heart, squeezing. Reaching over I grabbed my discarded coat, bloody and shredded from my fight earlier. Folding it up, I crawled closer to Kagome, settling next to her I put the coat under her head as gently as I could.  
  
"I'm a fool. All of this is because of me." I whispered, not meaning to say it out loud. I didn't care if Kikyou heard me though. It was true. I was sure my heart would stop if she died on me. How had she come to mean this much to me? I wondered idly, reaching down and wiping off some of the dirt on Kagome's cheek.  
  
Kikyou didn't seem to have a response to that, and I was happy to let the silence stretch. At my touch Kagome stirred, her eyes squeezing tighter as she tossed her head. "Inu." She mumbled, so softly I was sure I was the only one who could hear. Wild joy filling me, I leaned forwards, peering into her face intently. "Kagome?" I said urgently, my voice more steady than I felt.  
  
This close, I could smell the sweet sent that was distinctly Kagome, mixed with the acrid smell of blood. Just open your eyes! Say something again! Anything! I silently urged her. A door opened followed by footsteps. Looking up, I watched as Sango returned with a box in her good hand. "This was all I could find." She told us, kneeling next to me and handing the box to Kikyou.  
  
Nodding her thanks, Kikyou took the box, opening it and taking out a length of bandage and some disinfectant. Unwinding my make shift bandage from around Kagome's head, she took out some cotton swabs and began cleaning her wound. No one said anything as we watched Kikyou treat Kagome as though she had done this her entire life. The good news was Kikyou seemed to be right. The cut on her head seemed small, compared to the amount of blood I had seen. A nasty purple bump was forming around the cut.  
  
"Head injuries always seem worse than they are, because you lose a lot of blood even from small cuts, like this one." Sango explained when I commented on it. Even as she spoke, Kagome stirred again, saying my name once more. "Inu Yasha?" She said softly, her eyes cracking open slightly as Kikyou finished tying off her fresh bandage.  
  
Grabbing her hand, I squeezed it as I leaned in once more. "I'm here." I said roughly. My voice didn't seem to want to obey me. "Stupid, how many times have I told you not to head-butt rock statues?" I said gently, forcing a smile on my face.  
  
A small smile formed on her lips. "Sorry." She whispered as she started to laugh softly, squeezing my hand back. She only managed a quick laugh before it dissolved into a fit of coughing. Putting a hand to her head, she squeezed her eyes shut. "Ouch." She said weakly, as she struggled to sit up.  
  
Putting a hand to her shoulder, Kikyou pushed her back down gently. "Rest for awhile. That was a nasty bump." She said calmly. Nothing seemed to bother Kikyou for long. It was hard to believe she had just met me less than an hour before. She already seemed adjusted to the strange things going on around her. No one had even explained anything to her. Not in detail.  
  
Kagome settled back onto the pillow I had made out of my coat, giving a small sigh as she closed her eyes. The hand that had been clutching my heart let go at last, and I let myself take the first easy breath I had taken since the earthquake started. Still holding her hand in mine, I settled in next to her, smoothing back her hair above the bandage with my free hand. I could hear Kagome making small contented humming sounds deep in her throat.  
  
I sighed, relief washing through me; she was going to be ok. The door to Miroku's office area crashed open as he rushed in, running towards us. I looked up in surprise at the look on his face. For the first time I had ever seen, that calm he always displayed was nowhere to be seen. "I have to go! Sister Kikyou, that was the orphanage. They need me there now!" He said as he started to run past us, not bothering to pause.  
  
Kikyou's face turned pale at the news. "What happened? STOP! Please tell me!" She pleaded, as she sprang to her feet. Stopping, he looked back at us. "I am sorry to tell you this Sister, I know you live there. The ceiling fell in. People are trapped under the rubble. I am going to help dig them out." He said gravely, his voice cracking as he said it.  
  
"Well, I guess that means I'm going to." I said, climbing to my feet as smoothly as I could. I fought another wave of dizziness as I got up, but luckily I don't think it showed. If I showed weakness here, they might try and stop me. Miroku eyed me sadly. " I'm afraid you can't come, Inu Yasha. A rescue team is already there. If the saw you-- " He said, leaving the sentence hanging.  
  
If they saw me, it would mean trouble. "Shut up and let's go, stupid priest." I growled, "There are kids there, right? What's more important, a kids life or people knowing I exist?! Come on, move!" I said confidently, walking towards Miroku, hiding the fear I felt behind a wall of confidence.  
  
"Yeah, let's move." Kagome said, as she sat up unsteadily.  
  
Looking down at her, I barked an amused laugh. "You're not going anywhere Kagome."  
  
Focusing on me, I her eyes lit up; suddenly I was very glad I wasn't within punching distance anymore. "I am going! If you can go, so can I." She said, a challenging note in her voice.  
  
"But your hurt Kagome!" I protested, shaking my head.  
  
Looking into my eyes, she got up unsteadily, stepping towards me until she stood right in front of me. "And you're NOT hurt? I am GOING, Inu Yasha." God she was beautiful. With her eyes capturing mine, I couldn't look away if I wanted too. I knew I had lost, but I wasn't about to make it easy on her.  
  
"I'm not exactly all human, Kagome. You're STAYING." I stated, hoping she would listen. I should have known better. Her eyes lost focus for a second, and she wavered where she stood. I grabbed her arms in reflex. Grabbing my torn shirt for support, she pulled herself closer to me before straightening again, leaning closer until we where almost nose-to-nose.  
  
With a fire in her eyes I had never seen in her before she growled, surprising me. She had done it a lot like I did from time to time. "I. Am. Going." She said, her voice like iron. Damn it! Why did she have to be so stubborn?! For some reason though, instead of frustration or anger, I felt pride beat in my heart when I looked down into her luminous brown eyes.  
  
"How far away is the orphanage, Miroku?" I asked, not looking away from her. Without really thinking about it, I put my hands around her waist to support her. "It's not far, but we have to hurry!" came Miroku's reply.  
  
"Don't strain yourself, Kagome." I said gently, still not able to break the stare. Nodding she smiled up at me. "Right." She said cheerfully. Turning around I crouched down, looking at her over my shoulder. "Climb on, you're still not to steady on your feet." I said to her, ignoring my own dizziness for the moment.  
  
With a nod and a grin she pressed herself against my back, rather than climbing on, and encircled my neck with her arms. With her head resting on my shoulder, her breath on my neck sending electricity through me, I straightened, hooking an arm under each of her legs. For a second we almost both fell down right there as my legs almost refused to work. Frowning I locked my knees, saving us both from a very embarrassing moment.  
  
"I'm going too. I won't be of any use here alone in an empty church." Sango said, stepping up to Miroku. Even with her arm hanging uselessly at her side she looked strong. "Me too." Kikyou piped in, stepping up beside her.  
  
Looking at us all Miroku threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Let's all go." He said in frustration, clearly just wanting to go. "We'll have a party while we're at it." He grumbled under his breath, my ears easily picking up what no one else heard.  
  
With a grin I followed the rest out the door. I wondered idly if the authorities would shoot me on sight, or give me a running head start first. Feeling Kagome shift against my back, her familiar scent tickling my nose, I smiled. She was ok. That was all that really mattered.  
  
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Chapter 26, done and accounted for! Don't worry, next chapter will be longer. I have a lot of stuff planned for the next one. How did you like it? For the first time in awhile, I think I have a good idea of how the next couple of chapters will look! Good news huh? Lol Anyway, please tell me what you thought! ^_^  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
Ladykaa28 - My condolences! I totally see where you are coming from. My roommate has been divorced for years and he STILL has occasional random bouts of rage Lol. Messy business. To bad Inu Yasha doesn't have your help in the series, with Naraku disposed of, he could focus on his screwy relationship with his dead ex-girlfriend and Kagome. Of course, if you killed Kikyou off too, then his options would just be Kagome. More power to you I say! Thank you for loving the fiction! That's true isn't it. Now she has a valid reason for staying out of school lol. I thought about making a joke about that in the story, but it didn't make it in. hmm maybe next chapter. Yeah, I haven't decided on the total outcome of the reunion between Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru, but it should be memorable. Or at least a little interesting. lol. Sesshoumaru has a lot to answer for. Thanks again Ladykaa!  
  
Emania - Sorry about the cliffy! It was kind of unavoidable. Hehe I have a few things in store from them. Hopefully you won't see it coming until it's to late. Bwahahah. I hope I am worthy in the trust you're putting in me, I will do my best not to disappoint! I had a great time at Catalina, thanks! It's a very small Island, so all there is to do there is swim, snorkel, and enjoy the beach. Thanks Emania!  
  
Kotoko (chapter 24) - LOL an A/U seminar eh? It took me till chapter 5 or so before I even figured out what A/U stood for LOL. Yeah, I am THAT clueless. I am SO happy I made it onto your favorites list! Thank you!  
  
Kotoko (chapter 25) - Wow I am flattered the story means so much to you! LOL I know what you mean, I do the same thing when I talk to my mom sometimes. Some things you just don't say to the parent's lol. She got wacked good, but not dead good. Just kinda good. Alright, I'm rambling. So thank you Kotoko! And more coming!  
  
Friend of Shippou - Sorry about the cliffy! Please believe me when I say I didn't have much choice. I had fun at Catalina, thanks! (hands over a straw hat I bought at Catalina.) Don't worry, um, bald is in right now. Yeah. Thank you!  
  
TokU-cHaN (chapter 18) - Yeah, I know hehe. But I always thought he would make a good priest, so I made him one. Thanks for pointing that out! And I'm also not sure how many people is Buddhist in Japan, but I am sure there are plenty of Catholics too. Thanks tOkU!  
  
Classified - Hehe sorry about the cliffy! More coming.  
  
Deesh - Thanks Deesh! Yeah, sorry about the cliffy, and the short chapter. I really couldn't help it. Anyway more to come!  
  
Inuficcrzy - No problem! Woohoo! Cookies, thanks! Yeah. It's unusual for Kikyou, but she looks up to him like an older brother, so it made sense to me. Kagome got hurt, they all did a little. It was definitely nature having fun. No problem, I would love to read your story. I look at it after I finish posting this! Can't wait! I doubt I could give any useful tips though, it's not like I know what I'm doing lol. But I'll try! Thanks so much!  
  
The B of Elice - Ouch! That's a lot of lost info. Thanks for liking the story! See yah soon!  
  
TokU-cHaN (chapter 25) - Eeep! Death threats! (gulp, writes quickly) There, updated! Whew! Lol thanks for liking it so much! More coming!  
  
Holly - Sweet! Thank you!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Wow really? They come that often? I just figured it was kind of like the earthquakes here in California. Happens occasionally, with some wild ones thrown in to spice life up. But a small one just about every day? Damn! Anyway, glad I came up with something new. Lol.  
  
Jax4 - Thank you very much Jax! I will try to keep it up. More to come!  
  
Karen10 - Sweet thank you! Sorry about the cliffy. School's bitch aint it? Any more coming!  
  
Jamie - yeah, I am evil aren't I. Bwahahaha. Eh. Hm. Sorry about the cliffy! Thanks for liking the chapter! Accumulative eh? Sweet! So that means I'm up 20 points right? Thanks again! More on the way!  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - (gets floored) Lol Sorry about the short chapter. This one is a bit longer. And the next will be longer still! I'm weird like that huh? Thank you Kai-Aki Ti! More coming!  
  
Cryptic Dragon - (eats the crumb greedily) Sorry for the cliffy! Here is an update! (looks hungrily at the cake) more coming soon I swear! I hope you like this chapter more.  
  
Nini4 - Thanks Nini! Yeah, sorry about that Lol. More coming! I hope you like this chapter!  
  
CraziAznGurl - AHH! (locks the door and piles furniture behind it) Here is the update! Just not the frying pan! LOL Thank you CraziAznGurl! I think you might like this chapter. I hope! (gulp) I had fun in Catalina, thanks! It was great! More coming!  
  
The EVIL chibi - Sorry about that! I had no choice! I just didn't have the time to finish the chapter. Thanks chibi! I think this chapter will answer your question hehe. More coming!  
  
Vegito44 - Here it is! More coming. Thanks Vegito!  
  
Eartha - Yeah, sorry about that Eartha. I AM building up for something, but it was short because I just didn't have time to add on to it. More coming! Thanks!  
  
Arrow-card (chapter 24) - Hehe nope, he won't trust me!  
  
Arrow-card (chapter 25) - Aww don't feel bad! I think you are a great reviewer! Yeah, I know I wouldn't want to be in their shoes at that point (embarrassment wise) Lol. Thank you Arrow-card!  
  
Ryoko Dragonez - Ooooh so THAT'S who owns Inu Yasha? Hmm can you believe I never knew that? How clueless am I? LOL. Yeah, poor Kagome hehe. You know, plastic melts with heat. If you could find a torch or something the plastic sledgehammer wouldn't be a problem. Ok I am thinking about that WAY too much lol. Anyway thanks Ryoko!  
  
What? - No problem, it's a good question. I don't think it's a slut thing. I think she is attracted to Inu Yasha, but that's as far as it goes. She is confused about it, having never been truly attracted to someone like that before. She isn't attracted to Miroku, she sees him like an older brother/role model. (she doesn't know about his sketchy past lol) So when she ran to him, it was because she sees him as someone who she felt comforted was there, but that's as far as it goes. No romantic feelings involved in that. She just acted like a scared 17-year-old girl might in the same situation. Sorry it was so short! It sounds like it put you off a little bit. I hope this chapter is more to your liking! Longer. The next will be longer than this one. Thanks! See yah soon!  
  
Sana ChiChi - Yeah! Scary huh? Don't worry though!  
  
Shelly - (blush!) thank you Shelly! No problem, I can totally relate to the time away thing. Glad you understood too! Lol. It was four days of beach and fun! It was great thanks! It's good that you can relate to Kagome so well! She is a very sweet character, so you must be a sweet person to! Hehe yeah, I am working on the Miroku Sango thing. I think I have I figured out. Kinda. But it will take a little to make it work how I want it to. Thanks again Shelly!  
  
Melodylink - Sorry about the cliffy! LOL it's true, Inu Yasha has a talent for getting really messed up. I noticed that about the real series too. Your right! We ARE missing Shippo! And I figured out on my trip to Catalina HOW I would bring him into the story! You will hear about him in the next chapter. Yay! And he will be an active character in the story, not on the fringe, so good news right? Thank you for the compliment! I know a little Spanish. Enough to get the idea across but not enough to carry on a long conversation. It's a good language to learn! But a pain. I took a little bit in school. As well as French. Which was also kind of a pain lol. (mostly because the teacher hated us because we were Americans. Long story) Yeah, if you live in California you will meet plenty of people that know it very well. Anyway thanks again Melodylink!  
  
Sashlea - Thank you Sashlea! I did it was great!  
  
Zonza - hehe I think this chapter will answer your question. And wow thank you for such a great compliment! I'll bet you are every bit if not better than me at writing! (I don't see myself as a real writer. I am a graphic Artist in real life. This is all for fun) Thanks for understanding about Kikyou, and I hope to make the moments with Kagome and Inu Yasha as cute as possible.  
  
Mistress RinRin - Thanks for the compliment! Well, it took a little bit, but here it is! I hope you like it, more coming up.  
  
The Random Queen (Chapter 24) - Thank you Random Queen! Hehe don't you love those one-liners? Anyway more coming!  
  
Ayama the Cat Demon/Angel - Thank you Ayama! I aim to please hehe. More coming! Oh and uh by the way, Demon AND Angel? (looks at your name)  
  
Chiisai-tori - I agree with you about Kikyou. Although I still don't like her in the series. Oh well lol. Thanks about the earthquake! I just knew they had earthquakes, kinda like California. I had no Idea they were THAT frequent as some of you are saying. Lucky guess on my part Lol. Hehe yeah, kind of a weird time for Kagome to worry about school right? But she's a good student she couldn't help it. Poor girl lol. I know I never thought about school that's for sure. I would LOVE to visit Australia. One of the best beaches in the world from what I hear, and good people too. No anime eh? Well, No worries, I have had my fill here. As soon as I got back I would just catch up again. Sorry to hear none of your friends share the anime thing. My best friend likes it every bit as much as I do, so I guess I'm lucky. I just downloaded episode 121 of Inu Yasha off the internet today. Good episode! Anyway thanks again Chiisai-tori!  
  
Lindy*girl - Hi Lindy!! Thank you very much! More coming soon, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
The Random Queen (chapter 25) - You want it? You got it! Lol thanks!  
  
Kiyoushi-the-usagi - Hi Kiyoushi! Think I should do more with Kouga? Hm I will think about it. I didn't kill him outright because I didn't want to burn my bridges as far as he goes. So I will seriously consider bringing him back. Thanks for the support about Kagome, Inu Yasha, and Kikyou! Hmm And Kikyou with Miroku WOULD work in this story with the attitude I have given her in the story, I think you are right. And I WOULD. But I have something else planned for her. When you find out what, I hope you approve. We will see hehe. And I THOUGHT it might be annoying with the reviews being in front. I am glad I resolved the issue, even though no one complained about it. (what troopers you all are!) The way I work these things is, I write the chapter first, and THEN look and respond to the reviews for the last chapter. Until then I don't even know how many reviews I have gotten. (I am always completely shocked at how many there are, you guys rule) So don't worry, the reviews don't have any effect on how long my chapter will be. Wow thanks you for such a great review of chapter 25. You understand their feelings very well! And I think Kagome is going to have to experience something before she can fully understand the way Inu Yasha feels. I don't know what yet though. She just doesn't have the experience to fully understand the psychological consequences of Inu Yasha's past. I agree about the length of the kiss. I SHOULD have made it longer in hindsight. I was kicking myself after I posted it. Oh well, they will have more opportunities lol. Hmm-good idea about Kouga! I don't think I will make him a youkai, but I will think about the enhancements idea. Hmm. We will see! I have to really think hard about that, it has good possibilities, thanks for the tip! Wow thanks for liking it so much! I am truly honored! I will keep writing this story until it is finished. Period. So don't worry. You WILL see the end to this story. Though I can't say how long it will take or how long it will be Lol. Thanks I will keep writing, and thank you for the great review! I sent you an email, but I don't know if you got it. If you didn't my email is on my bio page, please send me an email any time! I don't have an IM thingy. Thank you so much again Kiyoushi!  
  
Dreamer Wolf - Wow thank you Dreamer Wolf! (Blush) I am So happy you like it!! And PLEASE GOD DON'T DO THAT TO ME! (goes and writes frantically) hehe thanks again!  
  
CorruptedAngel - Thank you Angel! Yeah, I think that would be my face as well Lol. Sorry about the cliffy, and more to come!  
  
Skye-Girl03 - WOW thanks for the compliment Skye!!!!! (blushes five shades of red) Dang that was really sweet of you to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am in my mid 20's Lol. Thanks again!!!!!!  
  
Darkangel78 - Thanks darkangel! I know. I really am evil aren't I. Sorry for the cliffy! (cackle) More chapters coming up!  
  
WHEW and that's the rospnse. Thank you all so much for reviewing! Until next time! ^_^ 


	27. Chapter 27 The Guardian Angel Hanyou

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company are owned by, umm, the people that own them. Yeah.  
  
Well thank you for all your responses! SO, from what I can gather from you guys, a 'Mary Sue' is a disgustingly perfect original character that has no flaws, is too powerful, and has a weird relationship with the bad guy of the story. Thanks for the explanation! I was totally lost on that one.  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 27:  
  
At that moment, the orphanage was the scene of great activity. Despite the rain still pouring down, rescue workers and citizens alike worked tirelessly to sift through the rubble caused by the roof collapse. A news crew worked to set up to report on the incident.  
  
As Miroku, followed by his four friends headed towards the scene, a few survivors trapped underneath the rubble waited, hoping to last long enough to be saved. One of those survivors was a little girl, named Rin.  
  
** Rin's perspective **  
  
I had never felt darkness like this before. It was all around me, pressing in as though it had weight. Close by I heard another one of the kids whimper in the dark, only to be quieted by Sister Kaede as she whispered softly that all would be well. I always felt better around Sister Kaede. When she was around, it seemed like nothing in the world could go wrong. But something had gone wrong.  
  
It had been playtime, and since it was raining outside sister Kaede had told us it would be ok to make forts in the basement. With Screams of joy we had rushed down into the lower level of the orphanage that was usually saved for storage, Sister Kaede following to watch over us. Old chairs, spare blankets, a couch and other odds and ends made it the perfect playground for us, when we had nothing better to do.  
  
Well, MOST of us had screamed in joy anyway. I was as happy as anyone else could be, but my voice didn't work. I had tried to speak to Sister Kaede and Shippo, my best friend, so many times, but all that had come out was a soft squeak. Shippo had just smiled, showing those sharp little teeth he had, and told me not to worry. People were too loud anyway, in his opinion. He told me that he liked being friends with someone that couldn't talk. He had promised to talk enough for both of us.  
  
I had tried to draw pictures of Shippo for Sister Kaede, with me holding his hand and his bushy tail sticking out with the words 'best friends' over us both. At seven years old, Shippo and I were the same age, although Shippo was shorter than me. I sometimes found myself dreaming about marrying him and running off on some adventure with him.  
  
Sister Kaede had laughed at first; patting me on the head and telling me I was very good at drawing. But it seemed the more I drew, the sadder she got. One day not long ago, she had come to me at night while I was in bed, and told me that I shouldn't be a friend to Shippo anymore. That he was just imaginary, and that it would be better to make friends with the other kids.  
  
I had started crying, hurt that she thought I was making him up. What made matters worse was that at that moment, Shippo had been hiding under the bed. Sister Kaede had always been one of the kindest of nun's, and the fact that she doubted me had hurt a lot. I had jumped out of bed, kneeling and grabbing for Shippo so I could show her that I wasn't imagining things.  
  
My hand had found only empty floor though; Shippo had run away. I had grown angry with Shippo after that, for embarrassing me, and running when I had needed him most. So next time he appeared, I had ignored him. He kept coming back though, growing sadder each time. After he left the last time, I felt guilty; I supposed it wasn't his fault. I told myself that next time I saw him, I would be friends' with him again. None of the other kids treated me like I was normal, since I couldn't talk. But he hadn't returned. That had been almost a week ago now.  
  
I started crying to myself when I realized I might never see Shippo, or anyone else again. I would die in the dark here, and I would never grow up and marry, or go on an adventure. I had been wrong about Shippo. Showing him to Sister Kaede hadn't been when I needed him the most. I needed him the most now, and this time it was my fault that he wasn't here. When the earthquake hit, we were in the middle of moving the furniture so our forts would be on each end of the room, facing each other. We had a big battle planned, and we would take no prisoners.  
  
Our basement had turned into our grave when the lights went out, while a loud crash and flying debris destroyed the stairs leading up, our only way out of the room. For the first time, we had turned to our forts for protection for real, hiding under the chairs or whatever else would protect us while the noise and the shaking got worse and worse. Only Sister Kaede had been hurt, her leg hit by something hard.  
  
"Ok, ready? Now!" Sister Kaede said in the darkness, her voice still sounding calm even now. With that, everyone screamed for help as loud as they could, except for me. I covered my ears as the shouts filled the air, hurting my head. Loud noises always made my head hurt. After a minute or so they all stopped, listening for any sounds from above that might give us hope that they had been heard.  
  
But there was no sound from above; nothing that gave us any hope. The only sound came from us, as we breathed or cried in fear. Leaning back where I sat, I rested my back against something solid, suddenly tired. A small hand grabbed mine, making me jump. "Are you ok, Rin?" Came Shippo's small voice in my ear, his presence suddenly beside me.  
  
Shippo! How had he gotten in? Had he been here the whole time?! Grabbing him in relief I hugged him to me, sobbing as he hugged me back. I wished I could see him. I felt his hair tickle my face as he suddenly struggled out of my grasp. "Easy!" he whispered, breaking away from me. "A fox has to breathe too you know!" He said loftily. Hmpf! Same old Shippo!  
  
I could never understand exactly what Shippo was. He always claimed he was a fox. And it almost seemed true! He had a bushy tail like one, and little fangs, and while he walked on his hind legs, his little feet where more like paws. He could also run on all fours just as easily as walking on just two. But even with all of that, to me he was just a boy, strange like me.  
  
I had met him two years ago, out in the forest. We had gone on a field trip, and I had been separated from the rest, and since I couldn't speak, I wasn't able to shout for help as I wandered around lost. Then Shippo had appeared and lead me back to the rest, and told me I was his new best friend, before he disappeared right before my eyes. Ever since then, he would appear when no one else was around, and we would play all sorts of games. He was the best friend I ever had.  
  
His hand found mine again, and he started tugging me up to my feet. "Come on, we have to find a way out of here! Don't worry, I can see." He said confidently, leading me by the hand through the darkness. I had no idea where he was taking me. The sounds of soft crying faded a little behind me as I moved away from the rest of the group.  
  
"Maybe we can dig our way out!" He whispered to me eagerly letting go of my hand at last. I heard the sound of cement shifting over things in the dark. He was moving things around! What if it made the ceiling fall more?! Grabbing what felt like his shirt, I shook my head violently, hoping he really could see in the dark.  
  
"No? Why not Rin?! It's better than sitting around and crying!" He scolded. Didn't he understand anything?! I stamped my foot and pointed up, then made falling gestures with my hands, confident now that he really could see me. "Huh? What, the ceiling falling? Oh, I guess I didn't think about that." He said, his voice suddenly sounding deflated. I sighed in relief. That was one of the best things about Shippo. He always understood what I was trying to say.  
  
"Wait, what's that sound?" he said suddenly, his voice tense. I tilted my head, trying to hear what he heard. He had much better hearing than I did. I couldn't hear a thing. Wait! No it was right above us, growing stronger. It sounded like a mountain was moving. It sounded a lot like it had when the ceiling had fallen the first time. It was the sound of heavy things moving against other heavy things, with crashing, booming sounds soon after. I could swear I felt the impact of them through my feet. I felt myself tremble as fear took over. Was this it? Was the ceiling going to fall again?  
  
The others had heard it too now, as the noise increased, coming closer. Cries of fear rose up, making me even more scared. My breath left my body as I felt Shippo tackle me, bringing us both to the ground, with him on top. I clutched him to me and squeezed my eyes shut, braced for whatever might come, as the sound started again after a short pause, right over our heads.  
  
The sound of groaning timber and falling rubble filled the air around me, drowning out the screams of the others. With my eyes clenched tight, I wasn't prepared for the sudden sensation of light I felt through my closed eyelids. Cracking my eyes open, I was surprised when I realized I could see a little. Suddenly the groaning increased, and with my eyes open, I watched as a section of the ceiling was lifted up and away, letting light and rain fall down around me.  
  
Shippo who was just as surprised, climbed off me, peering up. Squinting my eyes against the glair of sudden light and rain, I looked up at the opening that had been made in the ceiling. I felt my mouth drop open when I saw that a single person was holding up the section of ceiling.  
  
The person wasn't that far above me. Before looking down upon Shippo and I, he turned and heaved the section of roof away as though it only weighed about as much as a small couch, a huge crash sounding where it landed. Excitement shot through me as I climbed to my feet, a smile coming to my lips. An angel had saved me! Sister Kaede said we had guardian angels, and she was right! I couldn't believe it!  
  
The cloudy sky behind him seemed bright compared to the darkness he had just saved me from. My angel had silver white hair, plastered to his head and body by the rain. He was wearing normal clothes though, which was strange for an angel, with black pants and a ripped up red shirt with a sleeve missing. It looked like he had been hurt! Who could hurt an angel?! The best thing about him, were his eyes; they were GOLD! And he had white cat ears on his head that moved as he stared at me! But where were his wings? I wondered suddenly.  
  
"A Hanyou." Shippo said beside me, surprise in his voice. Was that another word for angel? I wondered. I liked the sound of it. So he was a Hanyou, my own guardian Hanyou. Suddenly Shippo squeaked. "I have to go!" he cried suddenly panicked, looking around quickly at the others as they joined us at the opening. It was to late for that now though. The other kids couldn't decide who to stare at more, Shippo or the guardian Hanyou.  
  
"What the hell are you?" The angel said to Shippo, surprising us all. Wasn't that a cuss word?! Behind the Hanyou, I watched as Father Miroku and Kikyou appeared and walked up to the opening too, followed by a girl that looked just like Kikyou with a bandage around her head. She was very pretty, just like Kikyou, even though she was dirty in the school uniform she was wearing. Shippo was looking up at the Hanyou with wide eyes.  
  
"Inu Yasha! Watch your mouth, they are just kids!" The girl with the bandage said sternly, walking up beside Inu Yasha to look down at us. The Hanyou's name was Inu Yasha, I thought to myself in awe.  
  
Glancing at the girl next to him for a second, he paused to smile at her before jumping down, landing right in front of Shippo and I. I felt my eyes go wide as I stared up at him. My Guardian Hanyou was so big, and I didn't usually think this way about boys, but he was beautiful! Shippo had started to back away, a worried look plastered on his face. Quicker than I could follow, making the crowd of kids and I jump, Inu Yasha's hand snaked out, grabbing Shippo by his tail just as he turned to run.  
  
"AH! Let me go you jerk!" Shippo cried, swinging his fists in the air at Inu Yasha. I frowned at Shippo disapprovingly. If my Guardian Hanyou wanted to look at Shippo, he could look! Inu Yasha was peering at Shippo with one black eyebrow raised, examining him as he turning him around in the air by his tail. "Shut up squirt. You never answered my question." He said calmly, poking Shippo on the forehead.  
  
"He is a baby Kitsune. Or fox demon." A woman's voice said calmly, from above. Looking up past the angel, I saw another woman with her arm in a sling appear with a rescue worker. She was really pretty too, but seemed older than Kikyou and the girl because of the rich clothes that she wore. A demon? Shippo was a DEMON?!  
  
"I am NOT a baby!" Shippo protested, shaking a fist at the lady. He was interrupted as the angel poked him in the forehead again. I peered closely at Shippo trying to see if I could find anything evil about him. After a moment I shook my head. Nope, he was just Shippo! Besides, weren't demons supposed to have horns and a long pointy red tail? He was grinning sheepishly at Inu Yasha when the Hanyou opened his mouth, making a soft 'Oh' sound.  
  
Oh no! I thought in panic. If Shippo was a demon, didn't that mean the angel would hurt him?! "So, THIS is a demon." Inu Yasha said thoughtfully into Shippo's face. Shippo was definitely not happy hanging there by his tail, as he frowned back at Inu Yasha, crossing his arms over his chest. There was activity around us and above as men in fire fighters uniforms came with ladders and ropes. But I didn't focus on that. All I could think of was what kind of danger Shippo might be in. I couldn't let him hurt Shippo!  
  
Running up to the Hanyou, I reached up and hugged his waist, shaking my head as hard as I could. "What the-- ?" He said as he felt me against him. When his attention shifted to me, I froze, caught under his gaze as he frowned down at me. Was he mad at me? I thought, shaking.  
  
Kneeling down till he was eye level with me, his face softened, and I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't mad. "What's your name, kid?" He asked softly. I struggled to tell him. To say anything! But all that came out were small little gasps of air. "Her name is Rin." Shippo said for me, rescuing me. "She can't talk." Shippo finished, looking at me sadly. Really, this was the first time I had ever been truly sorry I couldn't speak. How often do you run into angels?!  
  
Dropping Shippo, who cried out indignantly as he fell with a thud, Inu Yasha put his arms around me, lifting me up with him as he straightened. Wrapping my arms around his neck with joy, I hugged him tight, hoping he would take me with him if he felt like flying. He smelt like the earth, and rain.  
  
"Inu." I said happily into his ear, my eyes widening in shock at hearing my own voice. I had actually managed to say something! Inu Yasha grunted in surprise, his hand coming up to pat me on the back, making me feel safe. "I thought you said she couldn't talk, squirt." I heard him say to Shippo, his voice vibrating in his chest against me.  
  
"She-- She CAN'T!" Came Shippo's stunned reply. There was a short pause and then, "And my name is SHIPPO, not squirt!"  
  
I tried to speak once more, as hard as I could, but nothing came out again. Not realizing how tired I was, I started to drift off to sleep. The last thing I remember thinking as I rested my head on Inu Yasha's shoulder, was too wonder how things could possibly get any better. I didn't even pay much attention to the rain falling on my head.  
  
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While Inu Yasha dealt with the wreckage, the children, and the fox demon, the rest of his friends worked to protect Inu Yasha from the public.  
  
** Miroku's perspective **  
  
We had arrived at the scene only moments before, and already everything seemed pretty much taken care of. From now on, Inu Yasha would always have a friend in me, I vowed to myself. I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched Sister Kaede get helped out of the hole her and the children had been trapped in. It was a miracle that the children had not been hurt. A head count hadn't been made yet, but it looked as though they were all there.  
  
Inu Yasha had taken one look at the rubble, before he had set Kagome down and gone to work. The rescue workers had backed off in awe as Inu Yasha began lifting pillars and slabs of concrete over his head that would have taken a crane to lift normally. With grunts of effort and lot's of panting, he quickly cleared out the worst of the wreckage. Unfortunately it had revealed a few casualties, all of whom were staff at the orphanage that hadn't been able to make it out in time.  
  
The news crew on the scene was busy capturing every second of the miracle. Something would have to be done about them. I hoped we could get Inu Yasha out of here before it was too late. He had already done more than enough! After watching Inu Yasha pick up a small girl, I turned around, catching Sango's eye. It was time to help Inu Yasha, if we could.  
  
Sango, seeing I had something to tell her, came closer to me, a questioning look on her face. I don't know what it was about Sango, but something about her made my heart beat faster every time I was near her. I have been in love before. Hell, I had been in love almost daily since the time I turned ten years old.  
  
This was different than the usual love I felt towards a woman. Something deep inside me kept screaming at me not to screw this one up. I shook the thought aside of course. How could I screw up something that didn't exist? I had just met her this morning.  
  
But god she was beautiful. Even with her arm broken and her brown hair plastered to her face and neck, she only seemed more exotic. I also got the uneasy impression that she was smarter than me. I usually didn't like that. I had learned long ago that it was always much better to have a stupid woman than a smart one. They were easier to manipulate, and easier to move on from. No hassles later. But Sango was different; she was the challenge I never knew I wanted.  
  
"Sango, is there any way your connections can take care of them?" I asked quietly, flicking my head towards the news crews. All around us men moved and shouted as they helped the children up and continued the search for anyone else they may have missed in the rubble. It would only be a matter of time before the people in charge would get over their shock and start asking hard questions.  
  
Sango frowned, thinking from every angle. "Let me see what I can do." She said finally, giving me a friendly smile. Smiling back, I decided to go through with the real reason I had wanted to talk to her. After all, Inu Yasha really could fend for himself for the moment. This was my love life here!  
  
"Sango, how are you feeling?" I asked, trying to act as casual about it as possible. It had been a rough day for her. She looked at me with wide eyes, as though she had never really seen me before. Our gazes locked, and for a brief moment I enjoyed just sharing the look with her. Then she smiled sadly, shaking her head. "I-- I'm ok. Thank you, Father Miroku."  
  
I winced at the title. "Sango, it's just Miroku, please. I would like it if you just called me Miroku."  
  
Smiling she nodded her head. "Miroku." She said simply, as though she were testing the name out. I should have been freezing; the rain fell hard around us, my clothes were plastered to my body, icy where my clothes made contact with my skin. Which was just about everywhere. But when she smiled and said my name without the title, I felt like a warm blanket had been pulled over me.  
  
Looking at me for another moment, she suddenly turned away, her cheeks turning a little red as she stood next to me, watching the rescue workers in action. Was her blush because of me, or because she was cold? I hoped it was for me. Suddenly I realized that she wasn't feeling as warm as I was. She was wearing a tan business suit, her skirt stopping just above her knees. Her jacket mostly hid her white blouse, which was itself made of very thin material.  
  
'A gentleman's work is never done', I thought with a sigh, as I unbuttoned my black priests jacket, revealing the white shirt I had on underneath. "You look cold." I said to her, taking the jacket off and settling it around her shoulders. Looking at me in shock, her mouth half open, she just blushed again and looked away once more. "Thank you, Miroku." She said quietly. The way she said my name sent short bursts of electricity racing through me.  
  
Ah this was going very well. Now I needed to figure out how I could spend some alone time with her. Out of the rain, if possible. On an impulse, I put my arms around her, with her back to me, careful of her injured arm. She went stiff in my arms, before relaxing into my embrace. Now I wasn't just warm, I was feeling positively hot! She was pretty warm herself. I couldn't believe how good it felt just to hold her like this.  
  
Figuring out where to put my hands was difficult at first, but I came up with a good solution. God she was so soft! But then she tensed again, for some reason. Why couldn't she just relax?  
  
"Miroku?" she said to me, not turning around to face me.  
  
"Hmm?" I asked, enjoying the moment.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked, dangerous because her tone was so sweet.  
  
I froze, not liking where this was leading. I seemed to remember having a similar talk with her only a little while ago in Kagome's house. "I'm keeping you warm?" I said, uncertainly.  
  
Before I knew what was happening I felt a painful explosion in my stomach as she elbowed me, and then the ground and sky took turns flying past me as she flipped me over her shoulder with her good arm. Hitting the wet ground with a thud, gasping as all the air left my body, I stared upward, confused. Had I just gotten my ass kicked by a one armed woman half my size?  
  
Her beautiful face appeared in my field of vision above me. Smiling sadly, she shook her head. "My boobs aren't handle bars, Miroku." She said, patting my cheek. Oh, so that was it. Where ELSE could I have put my hands though? Then she shocked me when she leaned down, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Thank you for the jacket." She said getting up, as she dropped my jacket on my face.  
  
I knew today would be a bad one. Damn all half demons! As I lay there, my world black with my jacket covering my eyes, I decided I would stay on the ground for just a little while longer, and reflect. At least she had smiled.  
  
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Meanwhile, Kagome did her best to be useful, despite the pain she felt in her head every time she moved.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
Gasping, I pulled with all my might to turn over another slab of concrete, fearing there would be a body there. It rolled to the side with a wet thump as it revealed a small opening in the rubble. No one was in it. Suddenly my vision doubled, and losing my balance, I sat down hard right where I had been standing. I wish I could be as strong as Inu Yasha. He was so lucky that way! Of course, the rest of his life seemed to have been bad to balance that out, but still.  
  
Feeling someone's presence near me, I looked up and behind me. He was a tall, large man wearing a black suit. His European features seemed like they had been carved from rock as he stood over me, not seeming to notice the rain. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and he had a large scar running down his middle-aged face: from his forehead, straight over his right eye, all the way down to his jaw. Feeling intimidated, I stood up as quick as I could. This was probably the scariest looking man I had ever seen outside of a movie. His cold, coal black eyes look down at me through the rain, no emotion visible in them.  
  
Not feeling like I needed to start a conversation with him, I smiled a large fake smile, and started to walk past him, as casually as I could. No need to upset the big man. "Kagome Higurashi?" He said, his voice both deep and emotionless. I stopped in my tracks, looking at him in alarm. What did he want with me? How had he known my name? The way he said it made it seem more like a statement than a question.  
  
I looked around quickly, feeling more comfortable when I saw Inu Yasha not very far away, handing over the sleeping girl he carried over to a waiting paramedic. "Who are you?" I asked, feeling braver. The man took a step closer to me, making him seem to tower over me. No wait, he really was towering over me.  
  
Damn he was tall, what did he EAT when he was a child? Cars? "I came to pick you up. My employer would like to speak with you." He said, his voice not lowering or raising in the slightest.  
  
It took me second to process that. "WHAT?! I don't think so!" I cried, not caring who heard. In fact, I was hoping someone would.  
  
"I was told to take you to him. You will come with me." He said flatly, ignoring my shout. He took a step closer, while I matched him by taking a step back.  
  
"That won't be necessary." A crystalline voice said from the side. Looking over, my eyebrows shot up as I watched Kikyou step towards the large man. "I am Kagome Higurashi. I'll go with you." She said calmly, not even glancing at me.  
  
I felt rooted to the spot. Why was she doing this?! "Ki-- eh, Kagome, don't even think about it! This guy is creepy! I'm getting Inu Yasha." I said to her firmly, making up my mind. This guy was big, but Inu Yasha could take him.  
  
Turning to me at last, she smiled slightly, but it didn't reach her eyes. She still showed no emotion at all. How did she DO that? I was pretty sure she had emotions, so why is it she never showed them?  
  
"It's ok Kikyou, really.' She said to me, making me forget what I was about to say too her. "I'll tell you all about the meeting after I meet his employer. Don't worry about a thing. You're hurt, there's no need to get excited about this." She told me calmly, before turning to look at the man.  
  
He was staring between us with a confused look in his beady black eyes. I guess Kikyou DID look like me a little. I took a breath to call for Inu Yasha anyway, but my vision blurred again, making me sit down hard once more. Dazed I looked up into Kikyou's brown eyes, and nodded slowly to her. I don't think I could stay awake for much longer. I had been up all night- worried sick over Inu Yasha, been hit over the head by a western god, helped dig up an orphanage, and now this!  
  
"This way then, Ms Higurashi." The big man said to Kikyou after a pause, finally making up his mind. With a reassuring smile to me, she followed him to where a black stretched limo waited, were another man in a black suit stood waiting with his hands clasped beside the door of the car. I could only hope Kikyou knew what she was doing.  
  
"Inu Yasha!' I called, not realizing until a moment later that I hadn't screamed it, I had only said it. Where had my energy gone? I guess he somehow heard it anyway, as I watched him appear in front of me within moments. Without warning he scooped me up into his arms, like a bride I thought with a blush, and held me close, putting his mouth to my ear.  
  
"Are you ok?" he whispered, the concern I heard in his voice made me feel goose bumps all over my body. Well, it might have been the chill from the rain, but I was pretty sure it came from him. I guess he had gotten rid of that child somewhere, but I couldn't summon the strength to ask where. I hoped she was ok. And where had that fox gone? It had been so cute!  
  
"Just take me home." I whispered back to him, as I rested my head against his chest, feeling safe and comfortable again. I just needed a little rest. Just a little.  
  
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Well, Chapter 27, there it went. Hmm, I think I'm going to right a fluff piece next chapter. What do you think? Please let me know what you all thought about this chapter! ^_^  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^  
  
Ladykaa28 - Ain't THAT the truth. Hmm that is a good idea. I think I probably will let Kagome get a crack at him before Inu Yasha does. Hmm. Thinking of the possibilities. I agree with you completely!  
  
Holly - Thank you Holly! I am glad you like it!  
  
Inuficcrzy - Hehe really? Thanks! I love to keep people guessing. Hmm I think this chapter will answer most of those questions. Although I have yet to explain why people haven't freaked out on him yet. Maybe next chapter. Or the one after. Hmm. Naw the family won't come back till the vacation is over. And the shrine made it through relatively ok. THANKS for the milky ways!! Wohoo! Thanks Inuficcrzy! More coming!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Cool, I am glad this is sort of accurate then. Go figure! Lol. Thanks for the compliment!  
  
Lindy* girl - Thanks Lindy! Me to. More coming!  
  
Dreamer Wolf - Well, interesting for YOU maybe. Kinda scary for me. Lol. Thanks, more coming!  
  
Nini4 - Sure you can! Anyone can write like me. Ok the first step is to hit your head badly while walking down a flight of stairs. Then, while you are still dizzy and confused, start hitting the keyboard with your forehead. And presto! Instant Emilio writing style! XD Lol thank you SO much for the compliment! I hope this chapter got to you before the teachers with the homework did.  
  
Shelly - Thanks so very much Shelly! Yeah those two crazy lovebirds, gotta love it. Thanks for the support, and I hope they become a reality to! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks again!  
  
Francinator - I think this chapter will answer your question. Yeah, Miroku is a one of a kind. Pervert that is. Thanks for the compliments, I am glad you liked it! More coming.  
  
Kiyoushi - Wow really? Thank you Kiyoushi!! Hmm a Kenshin one eh? I have seen that anime. Pretty good isn't it! No problem for the email hehe. Does 'Do itashimashita' mean thank you, or I agree or something?? If so, no problem! Lol. Yeah, I agree about Kikyou, and the Kikyou Inu Yasha first fell in love with was the personality I modeled THIS Kikyou after. Yeah, to bad she is so evil in the manga/series. BUT I'm kinda glad she is. It would make choosing between her and Kagome MUCH harder if Kikyou were still nice don't you think? Thank you for the compliment! Naw she won't get between them, so I think you will be happy. Thanks! Yeah I'm kinda glad I'm back now. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as the saying goes. Wow you have a poncho? My Spanish teacher never made me go that far hehe. And I might have had Kouga be at the shelter, but in the stories time, it has only been a few days since Inu Yasha shattered most of the bones in his body. He is simply not well enough to move yet. And I WOULD like Kouga, but I dislike him for some of the same reasons I dislike Kikyou. Which is his interference in Kagome and Inu Yasha's love life. I started liking him more when I found out he had a girlfriend wolf demon. (although he won't acknowledge her) Takes the pressure off of Kagome a little. That is a very good idea about her and her family, and I might seriously use that. It's very in keeping with the story hehe. No problem about the posting thing, and love yah right back! More coming, and thanks for the really cool review!  
  
Blulily07 - Please don't choke! I lose so many readers that way. Thanks!  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 25) - Lol well, an earthquake struck and a stone statue toppled. Inu Yasha protected Kagome from it with his body, but some rubble hit her on the head anyway. So she passed out. Hmm. I could have said all of that in the first place, but that would have been one hell of a short chapter LOL. Thanks for liking it! More coming!  
  
Mistress RinRin - Thanks RinRin! For liking the story and for the explanation. LOL I started laughing when I read that, because I pictured it being said with an Irish accent. Hooboy. Am I easily amused or what? Anyway thanks again. More coming!  
  
Youkai chick supreme (chapter 26) - hehe yep! This chapter should answer your Shippo need. Please no switchblades! Thanks for enjoying so much Youkai! More coming!  
  
Jennifer Darknight - Thank you so much Jennifer! Awesome review! It's ok to say Bitch. I have seen worse written Lol. You and I completely agree on the Kikyou thing, and I am glad my portrayal of her pleases! The only times I really have a problem with the characters in Inu Yasha are when they come between Inu Yasha and Kagome. And don't worry, Kikyou won't change into a slut or something later on. She has deep morals in this fiction. I am glad you like Sango! Hehe I liked her too! Thanks about the grammar and spelling! (although my spell check had a lot to do with that Lol) When you said my grammar was kind of weird sometimes, I thought to myself. "really?!" So I went back a few chapters to check. And sure enough I could see what you mean. Sometimes my sentences don't quite flow right, was my impression. BUT oh well hehe. At least I know about it! Thanks for that! Thanks for the awesome review, I don't think you wasted my time in the least. More coming! ^_^  
  
TOkU-cHaN - (grumble) Well, thanks for liking it so much you felt the need to kill me to get more! I am flattered! Lol More coming!  
  
Emania - (blush) THANK you Emania! I am excited to hear that it seems to be improving. Hehe you too? That was how I was picturing it when I wrote it. Like a movie. Sweet I am glad you liked that so much! I'll see if I can do that kind of thing again somehow. (I really don't know what I'm doing Lol) And thank you Puck as well for the compliment! I don't have a Muse though, unfortunately. Shadow self huh? Very interesting. Thank you for the explanation! I was so confused. Anyway more coming!  
  
Friend of Shippou - Thank you! Yeah, aren't they brave? More coming! Thanks for liking it!  
  
Shadow Wolf - Thanks! I will, More to come!  
  
Ayama The Cat Demon/Angel - Ah there I go again, putting the ol' foot in my mouth. I like your name, nothing wrong with it at all. I was just curious how the angel AND a demon thing came about, since they are opposites. OK anyway THANKS for liking the story! More coming up!  
  
CraziAznGurl - Lol thank you!! I am glad you liked it!! (chomps on the cookies) I'll save the cake for later. That's ok. I am kinda too old and, well too Male for an Inu Yasha doll anyway. All yours! Aren't you happy? Booyah!! (does the snoopy happy dance) Thanks for liking this! Well, I am thinking of bringing Kouga back in the future, but he won't be back soon. He got pretty beat up not too long ago. It has only been a few days in the stories time. Yep, I think there will be something between Miroku and Sango. Yeah, Kikyou is pretty sweet in this huh. I am modeling her after the Kikyou we say before she died. The nice Kikyou. So it's still In character, I think. A little at least hehe. Yep! No worries there with her and stealing Inu Yasha! WHEW! Well, how can I refuse to update with THISE kinda prizes! One chapter coming up! Lol thank you!!  
  
What? - Thank you What?! I am relieved, I was afraid the story was rubbing the wrong way or something. WHEW! Yeah, Kagome is at LEAST as willful as Inu Yasha is. And that's saying something lol.  
  
Anti [.] Pop tarts - Thank you very much! Update coming up!  
  
Sana ChiChi - LOL yeah it is isn't it. Oh well glad you like! More coming! Sorry to make you wait so long. I wish I was steadier with this.  
  
Velvetwilight - Hi! Thank you so much Velvet! I kinda slid into doing the PoV and I am glad it is going over so well. Thanks again, more coming!  
  
RyokoDragonez - yeah! Wooho see, fire works every time bwahahah. Yeah, what a softy Inu Yasha is at heart eh? Well, thanks for enjoying, more to come! Yeah, I am pretty Sure Inu Yasha will kick that guys but in episode 122.  
  
Inuyasha-girly-2007 - Thank you very much!! More coming!  
  
Bat the Wood Elf - Thank you for the explanation! I had never heard the term before. I am glad it is getting cleared up for me lol. And I am glad you agree about the Inu Yasha and Kagome complaint I had. I mean, COME ON! Ordinary people would be married by now, sheesh. Thank you for liking the story, more on the way!  
  
Silverwolf2214 - Thank you very much silverwolf! I try my hardest to keep up with the updates. It can be rough sometimes.  
  
Lauren D - Thank you very much! I am glad you like it and Inu Yasha too! More coming!  
  
The B of Elice - WHEW! I am glad I have pleased hehe. Since you haven't taken back your love OR your marriage proposal, I take that as a sign I am on the right track! Woohoo! Thank you The B of Elice! More coming, honest!  
  
Karen10 - yep, I know I hate school. Well, thank you Karen, more coming!  
  
Zonza - really?! Sweet thank you! I am so honored! It's true what I said. I mean, my computer almost explodes when I run the spell check on my word processor, and I single finger type on my keyboard. (I just do it really fast) I swear you can do better than me Lol. Well, I make company logos, I create animation on my computer using Maya (its an animation program) and generally just screw around when I'm not screwing around writing stories hehe. It's fun! BUT!! I should warn you right now, it is one of the most competitive career's there is. (Below the medical profession and law, but higher than most other things.) But if it's what you like to do, you will love it anyway! Anyway, thanks again, and more to come!  
  
Leigh4 - Thank you so much! I am glad you like the interactions as much as I like writing them. Naraku will show up, and he will be a bastard hehe. More coming!  
  
Pheral - Hmm, don't think I've seen your name before, but thank you for trying! This one got through at least. I am not sure on the lemon thing. I MIGHT write one, but that is a maybe and nothing more. Thanks Pheral, more on the way!  
  
Kolohe - Thanks Kolohe! I am glad you liked it! Actually, I read your story as well, and I think it's awesome too! Thank you for the compliments! I really enjoy writing. Mostly because there isn't any pressure. Well, maybe a little now that people actually expect good things out of the ending of this story, but other than that, it's relaxing. Anyway thanks again, more coming.  
  
The Random Queen - LOL sorry, I know I am messed up in the head huh? (cackle) I hope you like this chapter! Less of a cliffhanger in my opinion. Earthquakes are scary sometimes, you can't hide from them. I would be under the sturdiest thing I could find if I was in a 7.0. (which I was when I was smaller.) thanks Random Queen! More on the way!  
  
Majin Jester - Thank you for the great compliment Jester! And if you have any idea's you would like to share for anything I would love to hear them. My email is on my bio page hehe. Take care and thanks!  
  
Cryptic Dragon - Yep! Lol glad you liked it! Thank you!  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - Oh it's longer, see? (looks up the page.) Hehe yep, mid 20's. And so soon! Gosh time flies. And you feel short? Why, how old are you? Uh oh, it's rare for a male adult like me to be on ff.net? I feel so alone! (looks around worriedly) OH well I'm over it lol. Thanks Kai-Aki Ti!  
  
Sailor-Knight Shadowstar (chapter 26) - OH thank you very much for the explanation! Man what a funny nickname for something like that! I tried the link but it wouldn't work, but it doesn't matter. You PERFECTLY described what the story I was reading was like. YAY! Author-treats! (hears Scooby- Doo music in the background) Thanks! Here is your update!  
  
Sailor-Knight Shadowstar (chapter 25) - Oh cool, thanks! Well, as long as it's true that there IS a presence there in Japan, then the believability of my story is safe. That's all that matters to me hehe. Thanks Sailor- Knight Shadowstar!  
  
Darkangel78 - You want it? You got it! Thanks for wanting more! More coming never fear.  
  
And that's it for the reviews! Thank you everyone! 


	28. Chapter 28 One Heart

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha came to me and begged me to be the owner of the franchise, but I told him to go to hell!! Umm well, no. No that didn't really happen. Oh well.  
  
WOW more than 90 reviews!!!!!! I have finally finished responding to them all. It goes in order received. So it starts as responses from chapter 27, and since I was doing it already, I responded to THIS chapters reviews as well. Any additional reviews I get will be answered next chapter. I had so many reviews, that it turned the 11 pages of this story into 21 pages!! That's 10 pages of reviews folks! THANK YOU so much for your feedback! Thank you all very much for your concern, and understanding (two words I used a LOT in my responses) about my welfare.  
  
Here is the newest chapter, and again, sorry for making you all wait so long! It was never my intention to do so, and I assure you if I had control over it, I never would have waited this long.  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 28:  
  
The storm was passing, the rain that had hammered down moments before finally fading away, leaving the air smelling clean. The dark gray storm clouds remained overhead though, a silent threat that the rain could return at any moment.  
  
The disappearance of the silver haired person who had saved the orphanage did not go unnoticed by the rescue workers and especially the news anchors at the scene. Already being hailed as a miracle, reporters were busy interviewing everyone at the scene in the hopes of coming up with more information about the dog-eared savior. Sango, seeing this as an opportunity for a little justice, quickly found herself as the center of attention after she made a shocking statement.  
  
** Sango's perspective **  
  
I blinked, stunned for a moment as another round of flashes from various cameras blinded me. There were six news cameras now, with twice as many reporters talking over each other at once, shoving microphones at me and generally, not listening to a word I was trying to say. I hadn't realized mentioning Sesshoumaru's name would be such a big deal! Well, the more cameras that got this, the more I could get back at Sesshoumaru, and help Inu Yasha.  
  
"Ms Sango! Can you please repeat your statement?" One young reporter with a black mustache demanded from the back, his question silencing the other reporters as they decided that they wanted to hear it again. I was starting to hate these people.  
  
Nodding to them, after images from the flashing lights still floating across my vision, I started again. "Yes, of course. The person who saved these children is named Inu Yasha. He is Sesshoumaru Takashi's brother. Inu Yasha is a very gifted individual, whom Sesshoumaru thought might be able to help in a situation like this. Sadly, Inu Yasha is very shy, and so left before you could interview him. But as Sesshoumaru's representative, I have come to tell you that Sesshoumaru Takashi has pledged to completely rebuild this orphanage, as well as announce that he is donating two million in American dollars to aid handicapped and underprivileged children."  
  
"Ms Sango, could you explain why a business tycoon like Mr. Takashi has suddenly become so generous?" A middle-aged woman in front asked skeptically.  
  
I nodded as though the explanation was obvious. Little did they know I was making this up as I went! "Well, Sesshoumaru has a soft spot in his heart for underprivileged children. As you saw earlier, his brother had to grow up with discolored eyes and hair. He simply saw this as his way to help those less fortunate than himself."  
  
I couldn't believe the words as they came out of my mouth. Like HELL he liked kids! Maybe he did like them: to kick anyway. But this was the only way I could think of to help Inu Yasha. I had called my boss and asked for information about Sesshoumaru after parting with Miroku. From what my boss had told me, Sesshoumaru was interested in getting into politics.  
  
If I connected Inu Yasha with Sesshoumaru in the public eye, we could blackmail Sesshoumaru later into doing anything we wanted for Inu Yasha. No more living on the street. No more hiding. Inu Yasha would be a hero, and Sesshoumaru would put him there. Framing him to actually help these children was my way of forcing him to give a little back after his treatment of Inu Yasha. This was only the beginning of course. He still had to pay for making up all those lies that had almost ended in Inu Yasha's death.  
  
The fact that this might actually help Sesshoumaru's reputation only helped Inu Yasha's cause. It wasn't justice, but it would do for now. "Now if you will excuse me- " I started to say, hoping to get back to Miroku. He had started to creep into my thoughts at odd times, like now. The nerve of the man, claiming he was a priest while trying to feel me up! But he had an odd charm, and there was this look in his blue eyes that made me feel like I shouldn't give up on him.  
  
The reporters weren't going to let me go that easily. "Wait, Ms Sango, do you know this Inu Yasha personally and- " I sighed to myself, turning to answer the new questions, and gave up on my thoughts about the crazy priest for now. Duty first, priests with roaming hands second.  
  
Another round of bright flashes made me wish I had worn a pair of sunglasses.  
  
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Across town, Sesshoumaru and his business associate Onigumo, watched in shock as Sango framed the future politician on national live television.  
  
** Onigumo's perspective **  
  
Leaning back in my comfortable black leather seat, I crossed my legs, watching Sesshoumaru from across his oak desk, while trying my hardest to keep the amused smile from my face. I had never seen him shocked before. Sesshoumaru's personal assistant had come into the room earlier babbling about some report of a hero saving children on the news.  
  
I was a little annoyed at the interruption, to say the least. As the business head for my organization, the Yakuza, it had taken me almost fifteen years of hard work to become an important link to our business relations with people who had access to foreign markets. People like Sesshoumaru, who had connections in far off places like America, and Europe. My annoyance had disappeared when I watched Sesshoumaru's reaction.  
  
At hearing that the person was silver haired and wearing some sort of dog- ear costume, Sesshoumaru had frozen, his face a carefully composed mask. Without a word Sesshoumaru had turned on the plasma screen TV that hung suspended on the far wall.  
  
Together we had watched as live footage showed a lone silver haired figure in the rain, lifting a large pillar almost effortlessly over his head, like some super-hero in a comic book. Very interesting! Someone that inhumanly strong would be highly sought after, especially by the people I worked for. If I hadn't been watching it on live television I would have brushed it off as some sort of special effect.  
  
Almost immediately Sesshoumaru had reached for his phone. "Are you still watching them? Good. Bring Kagome Higurashi to me, no one else. Just her. Do it now." He had said calmly into the phone, his eyes never leaving the screen. At that point I had started to get interested. Why was the silver haired person on the news so important to him? Who was this Kagome? For some reason the name sounded familiar. It annoyed me that I couldn't place why.  
  
Then had come the greatest shock of all. A pretty young woman had appeared on camera, and calmly stated that Sesshoumaru wasn't only the hero's BROTHER, but that Sesshoumaru would invest millions of dollars into a charity! Looking quickly over to Sesshoumaru, I had almost laughed out loud at the dumb expression on his face. His normally reserved mask had completely shattered. His jaw had sagged open, his eyes wide and staring at the young woman on the television, as though she were a snake charmer and he the cobra.  
  
I hadn't been able to resist speaking any longer. "So, were have you been hiding your super-hero brother?" I asked easily, my tone as flippant as I could make it. To me, this was a very important question. Sesshoumaru had jerked as though I had goosed him, his face becoming expressionless once more. I had to hand it to him; he could really control himself. Well, most of the time.  
  
"With respect, my brother is none of your concern, Onigumo." He said coldly. Most people would have been offended by that tone, but to me it just showed how little control he had over the situation. He might as well have been jumping around and screaming his head off. I wasn't worried about finding out. I would have all the information I needed eventually.  
  
I shrugged, pretending I could care less. "Well then, when have you become such a generous man?" I asked, only mildly curious. Who really cared what others did with their money?  
  
Sesshoumaru surprised me then by smiling slightly, while leaning back in his own chair. "Well, that is just my way of showing the city I care. I thought you knew I was looking to get into politics? You have to start somewhere after all." He said calmly, sounding like it had been his idea from the beginning. He was a terrific liar. But I knew it had been news to him as well; I had watched the sweat bead on his forehead as the young woman had repeated Sesshoumaru's involvement.  
  
Sesshoumaru's assistant appeared again after having disappeared sometime during the news broadcast. He was a small old man who didn't seem like he belonged working for someone like Sesshoumaru. As hard as I tried, I still couldn't think of his name. Little people didn't concern me. Looking at his short frame, I smirked at my own joke.  
  
"Sir, Ms. Higurashi has arrived." The small man said, his tone holding a certain reverence for Sesshoumaru that would have seemed sarcastic in anyone but this assistant. It was obvious he meant every butt kissing gesture.  
  
Before Sesshoumaru could reply, the woman named Kagome stalked in as though she owned the place. Looking at her, I couldn't believe my eyes. A NUN?! How much stranger was this day going to get? After the shock of seeing a nun, the first real live nun I had ever met, I started noticing other things about her. She was young, and very, very good-looking. She must have been in the rain for awhile, because she was soaking wet, making her black clothes mold to her body, showing curves that made me grow excited, when I thought about how much fun it would be to see how pure a nun she really was.  
  
I was shocked out of my thoughts when Sesshoumaru turned to me. "Onigumo, if you would excuse me, I need to speak with. this woman. Alone."  
  
Hiding the sudden rage I felt at being dismissed behind a friendly smile, I stood up, turning to examine Kagome once more. She eyed me back, here eyes holding a challenge in them as she raised an eyebrow coolly, when she saw that I wasn't looking away. Oh-ho she had fire in her! I decided right then and there, that nun or not, I would have her.  
  
Nodding to Sesshoumaru, I turned and left, visions of the fun I would have with her dancing through my mind. Breaking women was my favorite hobby.  
  
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As Kikyou confronted Sesshoumaru under the name of Kagome, Inu Yasha had reached the shrine with the real Kagome in his arms. Both of them exhausted, they took turns taking long hot baths, before heading to their separate rooms, to sleep.  
  
Having passed out as soon as her head hit her pillow, Kagome found that her sleep was far from peaceful. The day passed the two exhausted sleepers by, until sometime in the night, Kagome's nightmare reached its peak.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
I was sinking in an endless fog, where there was no ceiling or floor. I tried to scream for help, somehow knowing that eventually there would be a floor, and I was falling fast to meet it. I choked as soon as my mouth opened, as the fog seemed to rush in like liquid cotton. Suddenly the sensation of falling stopped, and the fog cleared around me to reveal the bodies of dead children lying broken in the ruined skeletons of buildings, stretching as far as my eye could see.  
  
I wanted to stop and mourn for the dead, but something forced me to move on, knowing as I only knew in dreams, that there was something more that I had to see. As I walked among the rubble, the bodies of the children seemed to crack and turn grayer, starting resemble the stone surrounding them the further I went, until they no longer even looked like children. They were just part of the stone now, forever.  
  
Suddenly I felt the presence of something behind me, and so I spun quickly to confront it. Inu Yasha stood there, smiling at me in joy. I felt a peace settle over me as I looked at him, still somehow not able to utter a word. A wind started blowing, whipping his silver hair about him wildly, as he put his hand to his chest. "Thank god your alright." He said, as blood started pouring from his mouth. Frightened I tried to reach for him, and he caught my hand in his, bringing it to his chest.  
  
Clutching my hand tighter, he crushed my hand to his chest, and I watched in horror as my hand sunk in, impaling him. "No." I shouted, my own voice frustrating me when I realized that no matter how loud I tried to yell, it never came out above a whisper. Suddenly my hand touched something beating, steadily thumping against my palm. "Take it. It's yours now." Inu Yasha said, still smiling around the blood.  
  
"NO." I screamed, struggling against the unknown force that made me grab his heart, as he forced my hand back out of his chest. Crying, struggling, yet unable to move, I looked into Inu Yasha's rapidly dimming golden eyes as he held up my hand with his still beating heart between us.  
  
"Why?" I sobbed at him, needing a reason, anything to explain this insanity.  
  
With that bloody smile still stretched across his face, he pointed with his free hand at my chest. "If it has to be either you or I, Kagome. I will always choose you."  
  
Not understanding, I looked down as he pushed my hand with his heart towards my chest. Realization struck when I saw a hole in my own chest, sitting empty and needing a heart to fill it. He was giving me his heart so I could live. So it was a choice between us? No. No!  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"  
  
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Inu Yasha was sleeping in the master bedroom, dreaming about nothing in particular. He wasn't asleep long before he was jolted awake as Kagome's scream from her bedroom echoed throughout the house.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
I was five feet from the bed before my mind, slower to wake up than the rest of me, caught up with my body. What in the HELL was that?! It had sounded like Kagome! I was amazed it was so dark out. Had I really slept the rest of the day? Running down the hall I burst into her room, looking all around for an attacker.  
  
Despite the darkness my eyes easily picket out Kagome, who was sitting upright in her bed, sobbing and clutching her heart area through the black tank top she was using as pajamas. Tears were streaming down her face as she regarded me, her black hair in disarray around her. She looked like some sort of Amazon, cornered with nowhere to run.  
  
Looking at me with lost eyes, she silently mouthed something. My ears barely picked up what she was repeating over and over under her breath. "Inu Yasha." This wasn't good. If even my name was making her cry, I sensed I would be moving out of here very soon. For some reason, the sight of me as I stepped further into the room seemed to drive her over the edge again, as a new wave of sobs escaped her.  
  
Seeing this, I stopped uncertainly. I couldn't even begin to think of something to say. What do you say to a girl that screams loud enough to wake the dead when she is alone, then goes into hysterics when you try to get close to her?  
  
Crap, how long could this last?! I needed to say SOMETHING.  
  
"Are you ok?" I asked. STUPID!! Of course she's not ok!! What kind of a dumb ass question was THAT?!  
  
Thankfully she played along, shaking her head and making valiant efforts to stop herself from crying. "No." She said, her voice hiccupping.  
  
I cast about for something a little less lame to say as I approached her, settling on the bed next to her, still not daring to touch her yet. Ok, THINK! Either she had a bad dream; a REALLY bad dream, or that knock to her head had done more damage than I thought.  
  
"Look, if you need to talk- " I started to say, laying a hesitant hand on her shoulder. My touch seemed to trigger something in her. With a loud cry she barreled into me, wrapping her arms around my middle and sobbing into my chest.  
  
Oh my god, she was hardly wearing ANYTHING. Her movement had shoved her covers aside, revealing that she only wore a pair of black panties along with her black tank top. The fact that I was only wearing boxers wasn't helping matters at all. Then there was the fact that we were still alone in the house. That helped even less.  
  
"It was so real, Inu Yasha." She said at last. I guess hugging had helped her. I was busy trying to think of some of the more ugly people I have met over the years, to keep myself under control. This was NOT the time for those kinds of thoughts!  
  
"Your dream?" I asked as much as said. What was with me? It was like every time I opened my mouth a stupid statement rolled out. I needed a gag or something  
  
"Yeah." She said, after a brief pause.  
  
I needed to get more comfortable; I sensed this could take awhile. Disentangling myself from Kagome, I scooted onto the bed, reclining with my back propped up against the wall. Kagome seemed not to mind; as soon as I settled myself she moved over to join me, settling into my arms again and resting against me with her head on my chest, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to do.  
  
A week ago, if anyone had told me I would be sitting with a beautiful girl in my arms while only wearing my underwear, I would have laughed in their face. And probably punched them too, for mocking me with such on obvious lie.  
  
Kagome settle her ear over my heart, finally seeming to truly relax since this whole thing began. I started running my fingers through her silky black hair, enjoying the feel of it. "So, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" I asked tenderly. "Or was this all some elaborate scheme to get me here in my underwear." I added with a grin, hoping to lighten the mood a little.  
  
She didn't answer, and after awhile I started to wonder if she had maybe fallen asleep. Well, I suppose it didn't matter. I was pretty sure I could spend the rest of eternity like this, with her. "Inu Yasha?" Kagome said at last, reaching over to finger a strand of my hair.  
  
"Hmm?" I mumbled, at the moment too absorbed with the feel of her body against mine, and her smell to do more than that. I continued to run my hands through her hair, unable to stop myself.  
  
"How did your hair turn silver again, so soon after you dyed it black?" She asked, her voice full of wonder as she rolled it between her fingers.  
  
I couldn't help it; I started laughing. Peering up at me in the dark, probably unable to see me very well, she frowned, before punching me in the gut. "What's so damn funny?!" She asked, her voice holding a hint of hurt anger. I continued to laugh, earning me a few more punches to the gut.  
  
"You're what's funny!" I said, huffing a little. "You scream and cry from something that obviously bothered you a lot, and the first thing you want to bring up is my hair?" I couldn't help it, hearing it said out loud made me laugh all over again.  
  
Snorting, she lowered her head onto my chest again, muttering darkly to herself. "Just a question damn it. Stupid idiot probably doesn't even know himself."  
  
"Hey! I can hear you, you know!" I protested, frowning down at her. "Think I'll just take that from you?!" I felt a low growl build up in my chest. Damn it, I was completely unable to stop it from building.  
  
Abruptly Kagome looked up at me again, smiling sweetly. "So answer the damn question!" She said, her voice dripping honey. What the hell, was she crazy or something?! Reaching up she started massaging my ears, causing me to gasp in surprise. The growl that had been building inside of me disappeared like a puff of smoke.  
  
"S-stop that." I said desperately, not liking how it seemed to paralyze me. It just felt so good! I felt the beginnings of a different sort of growl, almost a purr start to build up within me. "Not until you tell me! Talk dog boy!" She cackled, renewing her efforts. Then she paused as the purr like growl grew so loud even she could hear it. Her eyes widened and she put her head back on my chest to listen.  
  
Frantic, not wanting her to make a big deal about it, I decided to play along. "Only if after I tell you about my fucking hair, you tell me what this was all about. Deal?" She looked into my eyes, her face growing serious. Finally she sighed and nodded. Good. Then maybe I could get to sleep. Snuggling with her like this was driving me CRAZY!  
  
"Ok, the reason my hair turned silver again, is because it's magic." I said simply, smirking at how I had managed to trick her. That really was all there was to it. Kagome wasn't ready to accept that, judging by the way she was looked at me expectantly. When I didn't continue, she grew impatient. "And?" She said, her tone wanting me to fill in the blanks.  
  
I just shrugged. It was like explaining why water was wet. It just was! "And what? What do you want, a drawing? My hair has just always been clean. Every time something happens to mess it up, it always returns to clean silver soon after."  
  
Kagome was staring at me in shock. "That's it? It just becomes clean on it's own?"  
  
I shrugged again. After all, I had a lifetime to get used to the idea. "It's like my body. My body heals itself faster than anyone I know. Since my hair is part of my body, it kind of makes sense, doesn't it?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not really. But oh well." Suddenly she started laughing softly as a new thought hit her. "You fucking bastard! You tricked me!"  
  
'Now who's stupid?" I taunted, grinning at my sweet revenge.  
  
Her brown eyes widened again as that hit its mark. "Jerk!" She said, fisting me in the stomach again. Hard. Grunting in mock pain, I chuckled. Then I sobered up, remembering why I was here to begin with. "Ok! A deal is a deal! Spill it Kagome." I said, my voice leaving no room for argument.  
  
Sighing, spill it she did. She told me about the ruined city filled with child corpses, and how I had appeared and died by making her tear out my heart and shoving it into her. I shuddered at the mental image. That couldn't have been pretty.  
  
"But why the tears? I know it was bad Kagome, but you started crying all over again when I came in. Did anything else happen?" I asked. Some very small part of me felt happy that I had made it into her dreams at all.  
  
"It wasn't only what he-- I mean you did, it was what you SAID in my dream. And what it meant." She said slowly, trying to piece it together herself as she went. "In the dream, you told me- "  
  
"Stop, don't tell me Kagome." I interrupted her. She looked up at me curiously, surprised. "Anything I said in your dream wasn't real. Ok? So I don't want to know about it. It was just a dream." I finished, feeling her tremble against me.  
  
After a long pause, she sighed settling into me. "Fine. Thank you, Inu Yasha. Just promise me one thing?" She asked, yawning as fatigue hit her again.  
  
"Depends. Promise what?" I asked back, yawning because I watched her yawn. That was so weird. The only time I ever yawn was when I see someone else do it.  
  
"If it ever comes down to you or me, choose yourself. I don't think I could take it if I lost you." Her voice was drowsy, already half asleep. I froze, not believing what she had just said. The meaning of me pushing my heart into hers in her dream suddenly became clear. She had cried that hard because of THAT? For me?! I looked down at her and felt my heart give a painful lurch. I didn't want to lose her either.  
  
"I can't promise that, Kagome. If it ever came down to you or myself, I would choose you every time."  
  
I felt her stiffen in my arms at my words. I felt warmth on my chest and watched her silently shake as she started crying all over again. I hated making girls cry, especially this one.  
  
"That's just how it is, Kagome." I said softly, running my hands through her hair once more.  
  
"Idiot." She said just as softly, tightening her grip around me.  
  
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WELL, there is Chapter 28!! Kinda fluffy wasn't it. Is your sweet tooth sore? I hope so, I was the one who wrote it and even I was going "Awww" at certain points. Lol SHEEESH took me long enough huh? SORRY about that! Don't worry, I don't think it will take me that long to update again any time soon.  
  
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And now, for some personal responses! ^_^ (Chapter 27 responses)  
  
Blulily07 - Yeah lol. I have a feeling it will last a little longer too. To be honest, I am unsure how to end it! Anyway I will keep writing as long as you keep reading lol. Thanks!  
  
Mistress RinRin - Yep! Fluff in this chapter, and fluff in the next I think. Thanks for enjoying! I am glad you did.  
  
TOkU-cHaN - Lol sounds like a good strategy to me! I hope you liked the fluff in this chapter, and next chapter might see more of the same. Thank you! More coming!  
  
Zonza - Thanks Zonza! Yeah, she IS kinda likable this time around isn't she lol. I am glad you like Shippo and Rin! Yeah, the Rin/Inu Yasha thing I always wanted to see in the anime, so I had to try putting it in here. No problem, I meant every word. Thanks again.  
  
NB Kitty - Thanks Kitty! I will.  
  
Emania - Thank you! (blush) expecting good plot twists from me? hehe Thanks for that too! As for a muse, well I really don't have one. I am truly Muse- less. I'll keep an eye out though, just because you told me that I might have one. I might get surprised. Lol. Well, it's good you MOSTLY love your muse. I'll bet that helps you quite a bit. I think you are right about the fluff. In addition to this chapter, I think next one might be fluffy too. Anyway thanks again!  
  
CorruptedAngel - Thank you very much! You rule too!  
  
What? - Hmm, I can't answer that about Kikyou, in case I change my mind later. But I THINK she will be good throughout the whole story. Hehe I am sure you will fond one sometime, so no worries there! Keep that flame alive I always say.  
  
Kiyoushi - Hehe well, when I was 14 I was up all hours when I wasn't supposed to be. I've always been a night owl. Hehe I did? WELL I am happy to be the first to have called you by your new name! Rurouni Kenshin. Since I last spoke with you, I downloaded the whole manga series to read. It's a REALLY good story! I wish it hadn't ended though. Oh well. And please keep writing, I love your ideas! Hehe I am glad I could make you happy! It makes me glad that you are glad. Sweet I wouldn't mind seeing your 9 paged compendium. Can't wait to see it. As to Kagome getting a crack at Sesshoumaru first, yeah, I agree with you and LadyKaa. I am still trying to figure out how I'm going to make that happen. YEP, not just a girl friend. He has a fiancé. She is a wolf youkai as well, and is very cute. But he doesn't acknowledge her. Hehe well, I might use your family Idea, but I'm not sure. I don't want to take your idea! I'll think of something. More updates coming, and thank you again!! Love yah too! And I don't know what pocky means.  
  
Inuyasha-girly-2007 - yeah Aint that cute? Hehe. Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I hope it's good to! Thank you very much!  
  
Classified - Thanks Classified, I am trying to not be a cookie cutter author.  
  
Cryptic Dragon - Thanks Cryptic! Hehe yeah, told yah so! Kikyou in this fiction really isn't the one you know and hate in the anime. Have a good sleep! (even though you wrote this like a month ago almost lol.) bye!  
  
Dragontamer9741 - Thanks! Yeah, Miroku god shot down. Kinda deserved it though if you ask me.  
  
Nini4 - Oh, well my writing style isn't for everyone lol. Helmets help. Sorry to hear about your homework! Update coming up!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Yeah it was cute huh. Lol  
  
Girlwithoutastory - LOL well, that's true. Life isn't like this at all. Especially the magic and half demons and things. I wonder how our imagination cooks this stuff up as well. Thank you for liking this story despite its faults!  
  
Friend of Shippou - Thanks Friend of Shippou! Hehe well Rin and Shippou will re-appear, as well as Kikyou. It's starting to get a little hard to balance all these characters at once and still stay focused on Inu Yasha and Kagome!  
  
The B of Elice - Thank you! Hehe don't worry, Rin and Sesshoumaru will meet. I don't know about love, but they WILL meet. I am so glad you aren't THAT mad though! WHEW. Hehe Oh! And about the marriage proposal, I can't. It's nothing personal! I love you, but I can't SAY it. I would marry you, but I CAN'T. See, it has to do with your name. I can't call my bride 'Bitch.' I just wouldn't feel right about it! 'Do you Emilio take this Bitch to be your lawfully wedded wife?' And I can't say 'I love you Bitch' cause that just makes me feel like I took the word back right after I said it! See what I mean? (sigh) Sadly I'm afraid we have to stay friends. Damn all fate! (all j/k) Lol actually, when I started writing this, when I said 'thank you', I almost typed 'Elice', but that isn't you. Then I almost typed The B of Elice, but I refuse to call you B (which stands for bitch)! Nah-uh! Of course, just saying 'Hey you' is pretty lame. So I am at a loss. Sorry, kinda stubborn of me huh. ^_^  
  
Karen10 - Hehe thanks Karen! Sounds like you were having a great time!! Yeah, Fluff here, fluff in the next chapter. Maybe even fluff in the one after that! WHEEE Yeah, Miroku really needs to watch it. Especially around someone like Sango. More coming! Sorry for the wait!  
  
Shelly - Thank you Shelly! I am glad you liked it! I hope you like this one too. But to be honest I really didn't like this chapter (28) that much. Well the first part of it. But that's just me personally. I'll try and do better next time lol. Thanks again! SO the 1st person perspective is really working for you eh? Good! I am trying to get it down right. Hehe yeah, Rin and Shippo are a great team, I think. (stretches for the stars, then looks down to see if she is still holding the ladder) Whew! Thanks again!  
  
Sailor-Knight Shadowstar - Hehe I am so glad I have fortified you from the evil backpack of DOOM. Thanks Sailor-Knight! More coming.  
  
Raining Fire - Thanks Raining Fire! Nope, I won't say for certain. But as of now, I have no plans to make her evil. So she is a friend for now.  
  
Velvetwilight - Hehe I am glad people are starting to care what happens to Kikyou! I can't give away what will happen, but she isn't through yet. Sorry for the long wait on the update. Hope you like the fluff! More fluff coming I think.  
  
Suzuki3 - Setting up the stories is pretty easy. If you want I can tell you how, just let me know. It's all free so it's no big deal. Thanks for liking the story!! And I will try and not let Kikyou steal the show. Despite the treatment I have given her, she really isn't my favorite character. And no worries, School will be in the story, but I don't think I will get into it over much. But who knows, I may change my mind. Thanks!  
  
MuteMiko - (Blush) Thank you so much MuteMiko!! Ahh I am glad you agree with the non Kikyou bashing treatment I have given her. Poor girl needs a break from the hate! I agree with you about her. I hope this chapter answered some of your questions. And more to come! Sorry for the wait. Thanks again for the compliments!  
  
Jamie - No problem. Life happens. I am even more sorry that it took me so long to update! Thanks for liking the story! Hehe I thought Inu Yasha getting clocked by Jesus was a funny mental image too Lol. Miroku can go after Sango even though he is a priest because he is a really BAD priest Lol. His order wouldn't approve, but then, he isn't telling them about what he does. ^_^ Thanks again!  
  
Mai - Thank you Mai!! I will try and keep it going strong. I hope you enjoy the rest as much as you enjoyed the parts you already read.  
  
Inuficcrzy - hehe yeah, Sango and Miroku fluff at last eh? Well, She only kissed him on the forehead. Even my grandma has kissed me on the forehead, so I don't think it counts as a real smooch. I think it only really counts if there is a lip lock involved. I hope this chapter answers some of your questions about Kikyou. Although probably not all of them, since I skipped her encounter with Sesshoumaru in favor of Inu Yasha and Kagome goodness. Thank you for liking my story and for the treats!! That will help lots. (munches on the cookies and milky ways. YUM!)  
  
The Random Queen - Sorry for making you wait so long! Hehe yeah, I was kinda laughing when I wrote that cars bit hehe glad you liked it. And yeah! Was that cute enough for you? Lol I am so glad it came off so well! Thank you again!  
  
Sailor X - LOL thanks Sailor X! Yeah I read your story. Very good! I read Letters (my fav so far) and The Pirate Hanyou. I was going to read the Weapon story but I didn't have the time. Hell I even went to your site! I really loved that Evanescence Inu Yasha song. Very good job! But anyway, yeah the heart of Inu Yasha/Kagome romance is conflict followed closely by fluff. I am so glad you liked!  
  
Grape-chan - Thank you! Yeah Shippo finally popped up. Almost literally! Lol. Thank you for the compliments about creativity! I hope that goes over well. More coming, and sorry for the wait! Sesshoumaru and Rin will meet. Hehe. I THINK I have figured out HOW.  
  
Ayama The Cat Demon/Angel - Thank you Ayama! Hehe I am the first eh? Damn my curiosity. Oh wow so YOU will be the cat/demon in your Inu Yasha fiction? Cool! I did things a little differently. I put small pieces of my own personality in a lot of the characters hehe. So in a way, I am in my story too Lol. I am so glad I got yah to write a long review! Thanks! How does it feel?  
  
Lanturn - Thank you!! Hell yeah! Couldn't have said it better myself.  
  
Kai-Aki-Ti - Hehe glad you liked the Miroku/Sango moment! Thank you!! Yep I know what you mean, I am out of High School. So in a way, I have gone through even MORE high school than you! GAH! The horror! Lol. Well, it wasn't ALL bad. Hell sometimes I even miss it. A little. College is WAY better. LOL don't worry, before you know it, YOU will be the one saying Freshmen suck. And you will love every second of it. Thanks again!  
  
RyokoDragonez - Lol glad I could help about that fire. Thank you so much! I am glad you like it! Yeah, quite a change for Kikyou eh?  
  
Deeshness - Thank you Deeshness! I think this chapter might answer your question about the creepy guy. Maybe. And there is even fluff in this chapter! Yay! More coming too, so hang in there! Sorry for the wait. Thanks again!  
  
Icecream0626 - hehe we found him!  
  
SleepyHead - Hmm angst eh? I will think about it. I didn't really set out to write an angst story. Just a romantic story. BUT there is one thing I have in mind that might make a few people cry. But I am not sure if I will do it or not. Thanks SleepyHead!  
  
Serenity - Serenity! Hi and I am glad to hear from you! Thank you for liking the story! Even after all this time. Hehe I am glad you liked the Inu/Kagome part, and your right, there WILL be more! And it will be a happy ending, cause I like happy endings. Even though I am not really sure HOW to end it. Sorry for the long wait, and thanks again! And don't be sorry for your English ^_^ Too be sorry you had to have done something wrong (like me not updating in a long time lol). And you haven't done anything wrong.  
  
Ladykaa28 - Welcome back Ladykaa! Yeah Kikyou might not have thought this one through all the way lol. Especially since she really doesn't know that much about Inu Yasha. And I think your right about Inu Yasha and Kagome. For the next few chapters I am going to try and heat it up a bit. And then that test will pop up, just like you said. I know what you mean hehe. Lemme think about something deep and you will see it in the chapters. Thank you!  
  
Dreamer Wolf - I will and thanks! Hmm well it can be tough now days. When I first started writing this story I only had to answer a few reviews, so it was easy. But sometime when the chapters hit the teens, people started really rolling in. And I felt it wasn't right for me not to answer just because there are a lot. SO even if there were hundreds to answer, I will answer them. Generally, it takes about 3 to 4 hours or so to answer all of my reviewers. Which means I am up very late at night Lol. But I think it's important that reviewers know that I read what they say. Because it's important to me to get the feedback. I need to know if I am doing well, or if I screwed up somewhere.  
  
Sana ChiChi - Thank you ChiChi! Hehe yeah, I thought it would be fun to confuse people until the end. I am glad you liked it!! Sorry it took me so long to update!! And thanks again!  
  
Darksas - Thank you! I will!  
  
Chibimara - LOL sorry about that. I hope you liked this chapter, and the ones to come.  
  
Demon Angle - Here's the chapter. Sorry it took so long!  
  
Lindy*girl - Thank you Lindy! Yeah, Inu Yasha has the market cornered on cool. Hope you enjoy the fluff, and Very sorry for the lack of an update in so long!  
  
Fluffy's girlfriend - Hehe thank you! Yeah, she escaped with her life that time at least. ^_^ Hehe I agree with you about Rin. Thank you very much! Sorry for the lack of updates for so long!  
  
Ghoul King - THANK you ghoul King! Coming from the undead that means a lot!! Yeah, this is my first. I am glad it doesn't SEEM like it. (Blush) Thank you very much for the compliments! I don't know if it's any of that. Hell it might be a fluke. After I am done with this story, I will write another one or two. If they are 'successful' too then I will know better. I am so very sorry for how long it took me to update. Thanks for the correction about being nauseated vs. nauseous! I am not really sure where it was that I used that word, but I am sure you are absolutely correct! And HEY don't kill us living! I don't write half so well dead as I do alive you know! Hmm that's interesting about your style. So an example of your 'legend' style might be the 'Odyssey' by Homer? That's cool. Not enough people write like that. It can be fun! Anyway thank you once more!  
  
Darkangel78 - Thank you Darkangel! I really agree about Rin. Actually when I read so many Rin/Sesshoumaru fictions when I first came to Fan fiction, I was like 'WHAT? But she's only 9!' but oh well. People like what they like, right? Personally I always thought Rin and Shippo would be a good and better match up romantically. Hehe I touched on the fluff in this chapter. I think I might up the heat in the next chapter. I am not sure. LOL we will see about a lemon. I am not sure if I will or not. LOL please don't go insane! Or at least if you do, can you jump around in circles until you get dizzy? Sorry for not updating in awhile, and thank you once again!!  
  
The Youkai Nightmare - Hmm.. Does Gomen nasai mean I'm sorry? No worries! Look how long it took me to update! I should apologize to you! I understand. You have a life! And I am just a writer. So no problem! I am glad you made a new friend and your having so much fun at Volleyball! Personally I could never play volleyball outside of a beach. It's the sand. Thank you for liking my chapters!! I am so glad you liked them! Lol Sounds like you have a rivalry with the boys? Panthers eh? That's cool. My high school was the Falcons. I LOVE swimming. One of my favorite things to do. When I have time. Which isn't often. (sigh) No worries! I babbled along with you. Thank you again, and stay away from the coffee!  
  
Bluefuzzyelf - I am sorry if it was confusing. The big guy is just a goon for Sesshoumaru. Kikyou is going because she looks just like Kagome, and she saw that Kagome was hurt and needed to rest. So she threw herself in there. Sorry for leaving it there. And for so Long!! This month was hell. And I think your right about the great writers teasing their fans. I know that's not me though lol. From the sounds of it, I am an amateur writer FRUSTRATING the fans LOL. Thank you!  
  
Kay - Thank you kay! Fluff coming up! I hope you liked this chapter too!  
  
DarkAngel78 - I am so sorry for waiting so long to update! More coming up!  
  
Redmage2 - Why thank you very much Redmage!! I am trying my best to keep them from falling OOC. Even if they did though, hell it's an AU right? Lol. Thanks again for enjoying it! And sorry for the wait. More coming!  
  
Youkai chick supreme - WHEW lol. I am glad you liked Shippo in there. And Haha I am so happy I surprised you! I like it when people don't know what's coming. Amicable is a good word for her. Also Amiable works well for her too hehe. I am sorry it took me so long to update! Please forgive and keep the switchblade away! Thanks again!  
  
LoverofInu&Kagome - Hehe sorry it took me so long! More chapters coming!  
  
Lost and Alone 1 - Hi Sango's Friend! I am so happy to hear from you again!! Thank you for adding me to favorites! I am honored! Yeah, For some reason they ARE growing longer. And I'm not even planning them like that. It's really weird. I hope you liked this chapter, and the ones to come. Sorry for how long it took me to update! And thanks again!  
  
Ugh - Wow, I never thought someone would get so mad at me for taking such a long time! True, it took me about 20 days to update. Which IS a long time. But to never review me again and let me know what you think about my story based on that? That's harsh. To me, what I really like is hearing from you guys about your honest opinion about my story. Because that's what helps me become a better writer. Tied in that place, or at least a very close second, is making the best story I can. A very, very distant third is how often or how long it takes me to update. What I am trying to say is I am sorry you feel that way, and I wish you would change your mind, because I really value your thoughts.  
  
** (Chapter 28 - Author's Notes responses) **  
  
Morlana - Thank you very much for understanding! (blush) no problem. Lol thanks for the compliment!  
  
Kalika13 - Lol yeah it really can sometimes can't it! (sigh) thanks for understanding Kalika!  
  
Inuficcrzy - I am so touched that you feel concerned about me. Thank you so very much. The truth is I am not really ok, but unfortunately there isn't anything anyone can do to help other than what you have already done, which is too care. lol. Truthfully this last month was hell for a lot of reasons. I don't think you deserve to get hit with all the petty business of my day- to-day life, so I'll leave it at that lol. But the good news is I have never backed down from anything in my life, and I feel like I have dealt with everything well. So while I am not really ok YET, I feel like I am over the worst, and that's good enough for me. ^_^ ASLO, that fudge really helps! As well as someone like you kind enough to offer a listening ear. Thank you!  
  
Kitten of Evil - Thank you very much Kitten! I don't think you're so evil. I really feel very bad it took me so long to update. Oh you're Jamie! Hi! 10 more points! Woohoo! Thank you very much for your concern!  
  
Amber-eyez - Thank you Amber! Sorry for the wait, and more coming!  
  
Angel Whispers - LOL thank god I made it (barely) Ok so it didn't appear until Sunday, but that was Fan fictions fault I swear! Please don't eat me! Hehe update coming soon, and thank you very much for enjoying the story!  
  
Karen10 - Thank you from the bottom of my heart Karen. Wow it sounds like your pile of crap was much worse than mine. If it was a 12, I am surprised you're still alive! I don't think the stuff in my life would be interesting to anyone but me lol. If YOU want to talk, email me any time! (I don't have IM) I thank you so much for giving a damn! Just knowing that people like you care helps a lot!  
  
Kolohe - As a matter of fact, it really did! And I thank you for that! Yeah, it really can be a biatch. Thank you for understanding!  
  
Clever-chan - Thank you for understanding Clever-chan. And thank you for the compliments! More coming soon, I hope you liked this chapter.  
  
The Youkai Nightmare - I am so very sorry Youkai! It really couldn't be helped. If it makes you feel better, My sister and I went into high school at the same time too, and we hardly even saw each other except sometimes during lunch. High school is usually so big you can spend years and never see certain people if they are separated by a grade or two. Sorry to hear you failed the quiz! Science was one of my weaker subjects personally. That and math. Straight A's in advanced art and media though! And I was a wiz at business. Hehe really no one cares about magnets. Only the teachers do. BUT Colleges care about crap like that too, which makes it YOUR problem. Sucks doesn't it? LOL. Don't worry, it was my problem too lol. I LOVE playing basketball. Glad to hear you joined! Very fun sport. I am 6'2" so everyone assumes I'm good. But I actually kinda suck at it. Doesn't stop me from liking it! I am sorry to hear even Clemintine didn't like it! Dogs today have no sense. Don't worry, EVERY school picture is like that. But wait, it gets better. Every Drivers License is like that too! It's like they WAIT for you to make a bad face before taking the picture. I swear! No it's ok, tell me all you want hehe. Please no nightmares! Once again I am sorry I was so late. Please forgive!  
  
Emania - Well thank you for being so concerned Emania. To be honest, it was fairly serious, but mostly just to me and those close to me. And nothing that will be permanently scaring lol. Don't worry, I might as well be all better! LOL great quote! I always liked the part where the princess buttercup shoved Wesley down a hill telling him to die, and he yelled out 'asssssss youuuu wishhh' all the way down. Funny! Anyway, thank you so much for be so supportive, it really means a lot to me. Thanks again!!  
  
Jennifer Darknight - Thank you Jennifer, for being so understanding about it. I think I am through the worst of it. And that's all that matters to me lol. Thank you very much for choosing to review the chapter after staying silent so long! I am glad you liked it! Thank you once again!  
  
Kai-Aki Ti - Yeah, that crap gets pretty thick every now and again. Thank you for understanding. Sorry to have worried you! I will do my best to get the story back up to par. And I have a super deluxe pooper scooper with me now, so no worries about the crap. Thanks again!  
  
Youkai chick supreme - Thank you Youkai chick supreme for the support. I am always willing to talk, so send me an email anytime! As for being ok, well not quite to be honest. But that's ok! It's was never written anywhere that life would be all flower pedals and daisies right? I thank you so much for your concern! Things are well on the way to being back on track. Just knowing people are concerned brightens my day!  
  
Sashlea - Welcome back!! Midterms. (shudder) bad. Thank you for the concern! Thanks for liking the chapter! I don't think even Kikyou knows what she got herself into lol. And Kagome doesn't know it yet, but she is in way over her head.  
  
Bubblesbb03 - Thank you Bubbles! I am so glad to hear you like it! I will keep it up as long as I can. As to your question, no, Kikyou will not get in the way of Inu Yasha and Kagome's relationship. So no worries, you are free to be happy! Thanks again!  
  
LoverofInu&Kagome - No problem at all. I owe it to you all from my standpoint. Thank you for liking the story!  
  
Grape-chan - Thanks for understanding grape-chan. Won't let you log on eh? Yeah, this fan fiction site can be pretty temperamental can't it?  
  
InuYasha+Kagome - Thank you so much! I am glad you like it so much! Yeah, they really need to get it out of their systems don't they Lol.  
  
Raining Fire - Thanks for the understanding Raining Fire. I am getting better, step by step. More coming never fear!  
  
Anime Gurl16 - More coming. Honest! Sorry for the wait.  
  
Mistress RinRin - Hehe more coming for you. Never fear! I am glad I am updating too, and sorry for the wait! Well, the crap was bad, but nothing I can't get through, so thank you very much for your concern. I hope you liked this chapter, and the next one as well, which will be out soon. Starting over again? Wow it's worth two reads to you? I am honored! Thank you very much!  
  
The EVIl chibi - AH! Please no! I don't taste very good for a writer! Honest! Plus I am way too many calories, think of the health risk! (no I'm not fat, but I AM a six foot guy after all.) More coming! (runs for it)  
  
Jax4 - Thank you very much for understanding Jax. I think the worst is over, and bright sky's are ahead. So am hopeful I can put this all behind me very soon! Thanks again!  
  
FlamezofDoom (Chapter 2) - Hehe yeah, she just couldn't help herself.  
  
FlamezofDoom (Chapter 7) - Yeah, me neither. He is just TOO nice. You know?  
  
FlamezofDoom (Chapter 9) - LOL I really did want to. I settles for breaking all his bones. That really hurts you know.  
  
FlamezofDoom (Chapter 12) - LOL yeah, she knows how to act doesn't she! All part of the job I tell yah.  
  
DogDemonLover - Thank you very much!! And thank you for the compliment!! I sent the email, just this once. I usually don't send out more then one when people ask, cause then people would expect me to email everyone. And that would kill me. Thank you again for liking my story!  
  
Zonza - Haha thank you for the advice! I'll try that! And thank you for understanding. While I am not through the woods yet, I am through the worst I think. So I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't scream though. It hurts my ears. Headaches you know. Thank you once again!  
  
EX Driver Liz - Thank you Liz! Yeah, almost OOC for Kikyou, but I think it's in keeping with her character before she dies in the series. So it's fair game as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for loving it, more coming up!  
  
Deeshness - Hehe thank you! More fluff coming up! I am glad you liked it!  
  
Ghoul King - Thank you again Ghoul King! Hmm not affected by my fiction unless it's humorous eh? Hmm not even when it's fluffy? Ever? Hmm I have to really think about this. It's not good if the reader isn't affected, even if they ARE undead. I will try harder to fix that. I have an idea that might make you cry, but this is a romance story, not an angst story, so I am still debating with myself about putting it in. Hm I will keep thinking about that and try and come up with ways to make the story more moving. Thank you for your candor! Thank you for liking my story despite its shortcomings! Hehe and I got your Stupid Idiot reference. But I made Kagome say that on purpose, despite it being repetitive. In fact, I thought of making her say something like "Stupid, Moronic, idiotic, flat-nosed jackass probably doesn't know himself." Which might or might not have been a good thing Lol. But just because I did that on purpose doesn't mean you aren't right! You are absolutely correct! I just felt that Kagome needed a thickheaded moment. Lol. Thank you so much for a great review! Woohoo Russian cookies! I've never had Russian cookies before! Thank you!!  
  
CraziAznGurl - LOL I agree, she has a way with words doesn't she. Inu Yasha isn't much better hehe. Thank you for liking the story! More to come!  
  
Nini4 - hehe glad I could help the dental profession! Thanks! More coming up!  
  
Darkangel78 - Thank you Darkangel! More coming!  
  
Sleep walking chicken and HAP - Hehe sorry about the cavities! LOL no problem! I am glad I could help the dentist! Hmm maybe I should become a dentist in my spare time. I'll drive people into my office. Thanks SWC and HAP!  
  
Friend of Shippou - hehe thank you! I am glad you liked it! More coming.  
  
LadyWyrsa - Hehe yeah, don't they? Lol ahh Inu Yasha makes the girls' drool left and right. I am glad you liked the explanation of Inu Yasha's hair! Yeah, I never got how his clothes magically got un-slashed. I wasn't sure if people would by my explanation hehe. Glad it makes sense! Thanks again LadyWyrsa!  
  
Dot dot dot - LOL sorry about that! (evil grin) More fluff coming up! Thanks!  
  
Kolohe - Wow I didn't know that about the one review per chapter thing. Thank you for making the extra effort to review! And I am glad you liked it! The update is coming up soon, and thanks again!  
  
InuYasha/GF1889 - Wow really? Sorry to say this, but that is great news! I am so happy it affected you! Thanks again, and I hope you like next chapter to.  
  
Gigi-chan - Thank you for thinking so Gigi-chan, I am VERY happy to hear that. Hehe Sango turning it around on Sesshoumaru, I am glad that went over well! Actually you were the first to mention the first part of the chapter, so I was beginning to worry! I was a little worried that the first part of the chapter was too lengthy and boring. (not my favorite part of the chapter personally) I haven't decided on a lemon or not. I'm still really up in the air about it. Maybe I should put it to a vote Lol. Anyway thank you very much!  
  
Sailor X - Hahah well that's good, saves you money! Don't worry, more fluff ahead. Count on it! Thanks Sailor X!  
  
OK that's all of them. Thank you all for the great reviews! More chapters coming up! 


	29. Chapter 29 Sudden Death

Chapter 29:  
  
I'm back!! Actually I've been back pretty much since the end of last month. Christmas has been kind to me. But I got inspired for another story, so I'm going to switch off between this one and that one. This is really tough to start up again after so long away.  
  
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT!! My last message to you all, I just described the cold hard facts, and left it at that. I wasn't expecting so many replies. Actually, I wasn't really expecting ANY replies for that. SO thank you all once again. I am in a new place. I have a new computer. I am now healthy, not so wealthy, and wise (ass)!  
  
I would respond to each and everyone one of you as always, but I have actually gotten quite a few comments/complaints about it. Apparently, it is more annoying than anything else. SO I'll cut that part of things out unless I hear an outcry for me to do it again. So let me know what your opinion is on that, cause I would really like to know.  
  
Once again, thank you to each and every one of you that sent me emails, and reviews that had kind words (well that was everyone) and sage advice.  
  
Enough of my rambling!  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
*************************************************  
  
The early morning sun pierced through sparse gray clouds as they broke up, blown away as the wind willed it. Inside the Higurashi Shrine, Kagome slowly woke up to a sound in the house her sleeping mind couldn't identify.  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
The first thing I noticed as I drifted from the fog of sleep was a pain in my neck. It was faint at first; I was only dimly aware of it as I drifted closer from the comfort of slumber. But as I became more aware of my surroundings, the pain increased with it.  
  
Ouch! I must have been sleeping in the wrong position. That thought brought me to the next thing I became aware of. My pillow didn't feel like it usually did; oh it was still comfortable, but it was kind of lumpy and hard as well. And my neck was forced into an awkward position.  
  
Slowly I cracked an eye open, wincing as the soft but brilliant rays of the sun came through my window, straight into my eyes. I blinked. The sun? Oh yeah I remember that. About TIME it came out again. Figured it would choose to come out right in my eyes. Squeezing my eyes shut again, I moaned as I felt a shooting pain lance down my neck as I shifted. Still hazy with sleep, I tried to bury my face in my firm pillow for protection from the sun.  
  
That was when a couple of things registered inside of my small, stupid brain. For starters, the thing I was pressing my face against seemed to move on it's own, as though it were breathing. For another, it was smooth, but not overly smooth. Softly smooth. Suddenly last nights' drama came back to me. My eyes popped open, showing a very close up view of smooth, slightly tanned skin. Oh my god, Inu Yasha!  
  
I jerked away, holding in the cuss words that came to mind. Pushing myself up with my arms, I sat back, regarding the sleeping half demon.  
  
He rested with his shoulders and head resting against the wall, his face turned to the side away from the morning light. The sunlight coming in through my window was picking up highlights in his silver hair, making it seem to glow softly where it flowed over his shoulder and framed his face.  
  
His white dog-ears twitched in his sleep, while me made slight little growling noises, as he dreamed whatever it was half demons dreamed. He was so cute! More than cute! I couldn't help but giggle a little at the sight. His face looked so peaceful asleep, unlined with the serious cast his mouth usually carried while he was awake.  
  
My breath hitched as I looked at him, suddenly taken with him all over again. He was WAY more than cute. He was just in his boxers. His toned body, so nice to look at before, lay sprawled in front of me like an invitation. Little shadows formed where the sun touched his body, revealing muscles I hadn't even noticed before.  
  
The only thing that ruined the picture, were the wounds crisscrossing his arms and chest, where he had been injured fighting Sango's crew. I still didn't understand exactly what had happened, but his body seemed to be handling it well, the cuts having already faded a little, as though they had been healing for weeks.  
  
My eyes traveled south, enjoying the view. Had I really been in his arms the whole night?!  
  
I felt my face flush at the thought. I had just spent the night with a guy! Again! Ok we hadn't DONE anything, but STILL!  
  
I looked down at myself, feeling the blood rush to my face all over again as I remembered exactly what I was wearing. Tight tank top and panties had NOT been a good choice. I was suddenly grateful it had been so dark in my room last night. He probably hadn't seen me that well. I have never felt so grateful that my family was thousands of miles away.  
  
"KAGOME HIGURASHI!! What are you DOING?!" A voice erupted behind me from the doorway, sounding like the female voice of god, forcing my attention on the furious face of the woman in the doorway. I felt my soul turn to ice and my blood freeze in my veins; all too suddenly, it seemed my life was going to end.  
  
I had to say something, my mind screamed. ANYTHING! Something smart: something that would completely diffuse the situation. All I had to do was open my mouth, while I sat there in my bed with a gorgeous half-demon dog, and speak!  
  
"Hello Mother," I said weakly.  
  
I was going to die.  
  
********************************************  
  
Needles to say, Kagome's mother was shocked at the sight of her beloved daughter half naked in the arms of an equally half naked man. For his part, Inu Yasha had been blissfully dreaming of a shining white beach, with Kagome handing him a cold drink in a bikini. At the enraged mothers shout, the soon to be doomed half-demon blinked awake.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
At the shout that cut through my dream like a hot knife through butter, I jerked up in bed, my eyes not able to focus yet through the mourning light seeping in through the window.  
  
"Wahzzat?! Who--" I cried, rubbing my eyes as they struggled to adjust. They felt grainy, after staying up so late just listening to Kagome breathe against me. Which was something that I really hadn't minded. Kagome's form was sitting upright in front of me, facing something in the doorway. She had said something, but I wasn't sure what. Started with an M. Murder? There had been a murder?!  
  
Then the importance of the figure in the doorway came crashing down. Someone was here to kill us!! Wasting no time, still dazed and not seeing clearly, I leapt from bed with a shout, grabbing the chair to Kagome's desk that was resting nearby as soon as I landed. I needed to buy myself some time so the fuzz of sleep could clear.  
  
"Stay back!" I yelled as fiercely as I could as I waved the chair around. It didn't help much that my voice sounded slurred. Damn it wake up man! I shook my head to clear it, my vision clearing enough to see the shocked look of a somehow familiar looking middle-aged woman as she stared at me, her brown eyes wide and with her mouth hanging open. She had sort of short dark hair that framed her face. Who did she remind me of?  
  
"Inu Yasha! NO!!" Kagome screamed in horror, leaping up and grabbing the chair I was holding, trying to wrestle it away. Surprised at her siding with the enemy, I let her take it, my foot choosing that moment to catch something on the floor, causing me to stumble over with an oath. Landing on my face, I lay there a moment to collect myself.  
  
"Kagome, what--" I began furiously, before I was interrupted by the woman, who seemed even more furious for some reason.  
  
"Kagome!! What's going on?! Who is this -- whatever he is?!" The older woman demanded, gesturing at me. Oh that was nice. I never got tired of THAT one.  
  
"Mom I--" Kagome started as she settled the chair she had taken from me back down onto the ground.  
  
"Put something on young lady! NOW!!" The older woman interjected. Not even hesitating, Kagome obediently shot over to her dresser to grab something more to wear.  
  
"I can explain everything." Kagome said, he voice muffled as she hurriedly stuffed her head through a particularly thick sweater.  
  
I sat there, momentarily stunned. Did Kagome say MOM?! My mind started spinning a million miles an hour. Oh shit. OH SHIT!  
  
Scrambling to my feet, I looked around frantically for something to wear. 'I guess I should have thought of THAT before I came running in last night,' I realized ruefully, not seeing ANYTHING that would fit me in her room. "Listen, uh. Mrs. Higurashi." I started nervously, unsure where to begin.  
  
"No!" She told me, holding a finger up towards me without taking her eyes off of Kagome. "You will get your clothes and go home, young man. I will speak with my daughter alone," she explained, her anger barely contained.  
  
"But Inu Yasha doesn't HAVE a--" Kagome began frantically, reaching over and clutching her mom's sleeve.  
  
"Yes ma'am," I interrupted quickly, realizing Kagome was about to spill it all. The last thing we needed was for us to tell her mom that her daughter was in bed with a bum!  
  
Eyebrows raised, Kagome turned to me confused. "Huh?" She huffed.  
  
"Miroku's probably worried about me anyway Kagome. You know how he gets." I continued, hoping she got the hint and left my street status out of her explanations. Cautiously stepping around Kagome's mother, who was still just looking at Kagome, I ran out of her room to fetch some clothes.  
  
Behind me I heard her mother start yelling again as I slipped on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Well, if the truth did come out, I was glad I wasn't going to be anywhere near ground zero. I felt a twinge of guilt as I crept downstairs while the battle was fought above. But really! What could I say to add to things? I wasn't abandoning Kagome, just letting her deal with her mom. That was ok wasn't it?  
  
I stopped midway down the stairs as I fought myself over it. Taking a deep breath I turned around, preparing to go back up there and die alongside her. Suddenly I heard a crashing sound and more shouting. This time it was Kagome's voice.  
  
On the other hand, she didn't need MY help; she was a strong girl! Nodding to myself, I ran the rest of the way downstairs and out of the house, closing the door behind me.  
  
As I reached the stairs leading to the street, I looked back at Kagome's house. I wondered if I would ever be able to just be with her again like I had last night. With any luck, her mom could be reasoned with. But even if her mother couldn't be convinced, I had no intention of leaving Kagome alone. For the first time, I felt truly alive as I turned away on my hunt to find Miroku.  
  
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WELL, there we have it! Chapter 29 at last! Short chapter, but after all this time, it was sort of hard to get started on the story again. Maybe next one will be longer eh? 


	30. Chapter 30 Reason

Well folks, it's been awhile. I am trying something new in this chapter. I'm still sort of discovering how to write, so it might be a good thing and it might be bad. (Inu Yasha's part of the chapter will read differently than usual.) So please let me know what you think!  
  
By the way, to answer a question: Sesshoumaru is full human. He has dark hair and eyes. You know the coloring Inu Yasha has when he is in human mode? Apply that to Sesshoumaru and that's how he looks, with human ears as well.  
  
As always sorry for the wait; your patience for me is amazing! Hopefully the next chapter won't take so insanely long to get out. The difficulty of getting back into the flow of things after the long break, as well as a shot of writers block has been a pretty big obstacle for me.  
  
By the way, I sort of stealth updated chapter 29, so if you haven't already, you should read that before this chapter, for those of you who hadn't noticed that I changed chapter 29 from my old notice, to an actual chapter. For those that did notice and reviewed, THANK YOU! It inspired me as always!  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 30:  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
Slumping in my chair, I stared dully at my desk, not really seeing the odds and ends scattered across its surface. Arguing with mom was so frustrating! Right then I sort of felt like someone had plugged me into something that was draining all of my energy. The two of us rarely argued, let alone fought like we were. My mother fought like a guerrilla warrior, leaving when the fight got hot and then returning to ambush me as something else occurred to her. She had left again, meaning I probably had another few minutes or so before she stormed back into my room with something else that was on her mind. It was actually a sort of funny way to argue, if you were the one watching and not the one participating in it.  
  
How was I going to get through to her?! If I couldn't get my mom behind me, I wouldn't be able to help Inu Yasha! He did need my help, despite his tough act. What I couldn't figure out was why he didn't seem to want my mom to know everything. That's what I got out of his strange act earlier at least. I let out a breath as I made up my mind to tell her anyway. If she knew about it all, there was no way she could turn him away. Inu Yasha would just have to deal with it. I smiled to myself as I pictured his ears twitch in anger when he found out. That alone would almost be worth it.  
  
I'm not really sure where my sudden sadistic streak towards Inu Yasha started, but I'm pretty sure it was about the time mom showed up and Inu Yasha had left me to deal with her alone. Oh-he would pay for that. So what if mom had told him to leave?!  
  
Hearing the sound of her footsteps on the stairs headed towards my room once more, I sighed and swiveled in my chair to face my closed door, bracing myself. I knew exactly what would shut her up long enough to actually listen to me. I just wasn't eager to relive one of the scariest moments in my life again.  
  
I jumped despite myself as the door to my room crashed open, my mother's mouth already open to deliver whatever mini-speech she had cooked up. NOW!!  
  
"INU YASHA SAVED ME FROM GETTING RAPED MOM!" I cried, my eyes shutting with the force of my shout, desperate to get it in before she launched into me.  
  
Dead silence. Opening one eye I peeked at her, realizing it had worked. She stood in the doorway, staring at me with wide eyes and her mouth still open from whatever she had been going to say. One finger was pointed up, frozen; it had obviously been meant to shake at me as she spoke. The silence stretched as we looked at each other. I stared into her eyes trying to will her to understand. I had been through so much with Inu Yasha in the short time I had known him. A little cuddling was nothing in the face of all of that. Well ok, maybe it was SOMETHING, but really that was my business.  
  
"What?" My mom asked softly breaking the silence at last, her voice stricken.  
  
Seizing the opportunity for a calm discussion, I told her of that horrible day in the rain, when the gangsters had almost taken my virginity, and then my life.  
  
"Oh my poor baby!" mom cried, rushing over to me and embracing me. Free to explain, I continued.  
  
I embellished a little, mixing up the order of things. In my version, Inu Yasha had just been passing by and rescued me. Then after being wounded, I had let him stay because he had no home. At this point my mom was already mostly won over, I could tell. She made an "awe" sound when I told her about his homelessness. Then I told her about what he was, and why I couldn't let him leave, no matter how much he tried: which I stressed he had a few times. Finally I reached the part of the earthquake, and how he had saved those children's lives, and then my nightmare last night.  
  
I didn't tell her everything; such as Sango and the demon hunters, and our growing attraction towards each other, but I think I touched on most of the main points. Basically I was on a mission to make Inu Yasha seem like the king of saints. Of course, Mr. King of Saints was going to have my foot up his ass next time I saw him, but at least this way I would have the opportunity to do so, if I could get mom on our side.  
  
"I screamed, and he just came in to comfort me mom! We just fell asleep like that; I swear nothing happened!" I finished at last, amazed she had kept quiet through most of that. She had only stopped me a few times to get something clear.  
  
Having moved over to sit on my bed as we spoke, she kept me in her embrace, making me feel warm as she hugged me, stroking my hair like she always did when I needed to feel better. How did people know to do that when I was feeling bad anyway? Inu Yasha did that too. Anyway, despite the way she had found me, it felt good to have mom back again. Thinking of that made me ask the next question.  
  
"Why are you back so soon mom?" I asked after a long period of silence. I thought I knew the answer, but I needed to hear it.  
  
I could feel my mom's hand tremble slightly as she hugged me tighter for a second. "It was the earthquake dear," she said at last, looking down at me, "I called you right after I heard about it on the news in America. I was worried SICK about you! When you didn't answer I thought the worst, and took the fastest flight back home. Then I saw you with HIM."  
  
Obviously the shock of seeing me with him was still an issue. Oh well, at least she had calmed down.  
  
"What about Sota and Grandpa though?" I asked, realizing I would have seen one of them by now if they were here.  
  
"I could only get one ticket for the flight back here: they'll be back in a few days," she explained a little sheepishly.  
  
Feeling guilty for ruining their trip, I lowered my gaze. "I'm sorry for worrying you mom. After getting home all we could think about was going straight to sleep."  
  
Feeling mom tense again at that, I hurried along, "in SEPARATE rooms mom! I was making him sleep in, um, in your room," I finished somewhat weakly, realizing that she probably wouldn't appreciate a strange boy sleeping in her bed. I felt me cheeks flame up thinking about it. Thinking of Inu Yasha did that to me almost every time now. Damn him!  
  
"That boy was sleeping in my bed?" she asked incredulously, eyebrows rising.  
  
"Sorry mom. I didn't think you would mind that much," I admitted, hanging my head. Suddenly I was ready for her judgment. That's what this had all been leading up to after all. How I was going to be punished.  
  
Sighing, she stood up and went to my window, looking out. "So he doesn't have a home? What was that about him going somewhere then?"  
  
"He's probably walking around on the street mom. I think he said that because he didn't want you to know that he was homeless." I explained, feeling frustrated that he wasn't there.  
  
"Why?" she asked, turning to me in surprise.  
  
"That's what I want to know mom. I don't care if you punish me; I probably deserve it. But can he stay with us? Please? He doesn't admit it, but he needs us so bad, mom," I pleased, suddenly needing her understanding. I silently added that he needed ME badly, but I wasn't sure how true that was. He definitely needed help of SOME kind though.  
  
Mom sighed deeply, her brown eyes suddenly soft. "Bring him back, Kagome. I'll need to talk to him."  
  
Joy and warmth bubbled up inside of me, making me almost heady. She had actually understood! Not able to keep it in, I squealed with joy, jumping up and hugging mom hard. "Thank you mom!" I whispered in her ear.  
  
I think she said 'you're welcome', but I wasn't sure, because I had already left the room at full speed, eager to find Inu Yasha again. I supposed he might be at Miroku's. He had told us where we could find him yesterday, during the rescue attempt at the orphanage. Putting on a coat, I hurried out of my home, eager to drown myself in a pair of golden eyes once more.  
  
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Inu Yasha had arrived at Miroku's, only to hear that Kikyou was not only with his brother, but had been there the entire night. Anger and worry warred within Inu Yasha, until finally a plan had hatched inside his active mind.  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
"Alright, let's go Miroku." Oh yes. This was going to be fun.  
  
"I'm not going to help you kidnap your brother, Inu Yasha," he sighed, leaning back in his armchair sipping some tea.  
  
"What the hell?! I thought you were my friend!"  
  
"I'm a priest."  
  
"Priests can't have friends?" I chortled.  
  
"Priests can't help kidnap other people's brothers. It's a moral issue," he smirked back.  
  
"You don't have morals."  
  
"It's the principal of the thing."  
  
"Aren't you worried about Kikyou?"  
  
"Not THAT worried." The man had a stone heart!  
  
"Look, it'll be really easy--" I began.  
  
"It's never easy," Miroku interjected.  
  
"We just sneak in--" I started again.  
  
"Past twenty stories of security," he interrupted again. THAT was getting annoying.  
  
"As I was saying: we SNEAK in, see how Kikyou is doing, and invite Sesshoumaru for a walk. Is that immoral?" I had him there.  
  
"Only the part where you knock him out before asking him to go on the walk," he replied, proving me wrong.  
  
"Well he can't refuse if he's not conscious. I thought that would be obvious." My logic was flawless.  
  
"Why are you doing this, Inu Yasha?" he asked, deadly serious.  
  
"Kikyou has been with my brother the entire night, Miroku. Why WOULDN'T I be doing this?"  
  
The thought of him and Kikyou together made my blood boil. She was Kagome's twin. So every time I pictured what they might be like together - even TALKING together - I immediately thought of Kagome. It was too much. Plus she was my friend, and Sesshoumaru was Satan.  
  
"Kikyou also called and told us she was fine," Miroku countered.  
  
"Kikyou lied."  
  
"Nuns don't lie. It's a habit they picked up somewhere."  
  
"You told me she's not an official nun yet."  
  
"Close enough."  
  
"Fine, I hate my brother, and I want to persuade him to leave me alone. How's that for a reason?" Of course I didn't mention how I would persuade him. But Miroku was a smart man. He probably understood.  
  
"It's a little more truthful, at least," he sighed, closing his eyes.  
  
"But?" There was always a 'but'.  
  
"But I'm still not helping you.," he replied calmly, taking another sip of tea.  
  
"Why the hell NOT?!"  
  
"Because Kikyou hasn't asked for our help, and I don't believe hurting your brother will solve any of your problems."  
  
"Sure it will. It will save me years on therapy sessions," I growled at him.  
  
"Hardly," he scoffed.  
  
"How about this then; if you don't come with me, the odds are that I'm going to do something stupid." That was pretty much a given.  
  
"That's a given," he agreed, unknowingly echoing my thoughts. Damn him! The bastard didn't have to AGREE with me!  
  
"If I do something stupid, it will probably end up with my brothers death," I said ominously, knowing it to be only half true. After all, if I did that my chances with Kagome were pretty small. She didn't strike me as the type who liked criminals.  
  
"His death?" Miroku repeated half under his breath while eyeing me, uncertain for the first time. HAH! He was cracking!  
  
"I don't like him. A lot," I encouraged, putting a little bit of doom into my voice.  
  
"All the more reason to stay away from him then," he reasoned.  
  
"Oh, I'm going whether you join me or not. The difference is if you're WITH me, you have a lot better chance to stop me from doing something REALLY stupid, then if you weren't with me. Right?" Once again: flawless logic.  
  
"God DAMN it Inu Yasha!" he shouted suddenly, admitting defeat.  
  
"Don't swear Miroku, it's un-priestly," I gloated.  
  
"Fuck you," he snapped sourly.  
  
"So you'll come?"  
  
"Let's get this over with," he sighed, setting down his teacup as he rose.  
  
"Thank you Miroku. Really," I told him, suddenly wanting him to know what his friendship meant to me. To me, any friendship was a gift.  
  
"Kagome is going to kill you. You know that right?" he confided, smiling at me, silently acknowledging me.  
  
"She doesn't really have to know about this, does she?" Oh shit, he wouldn't.  
  
"She will. Consider it payback for you blackmailing me into this," he grinned evilly, his eyes sparkling.  
  
"You're going to hell," I moaned. I mean, telling on me was just plain MEAN.  
  
"Probably," he agreed, following me out his door.  
  
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And that's it! Please let me know what you all think. For those that are still here after the long wait Lol. ^_^ 


	31. Chapter 31 Bad Blood

Oh, um... I've never been to Japan, as some of you can probably tell. So anyway, I put a coffee shop in this story, and I have my doubts on whether they have that sort of thing over there like they do in the states. So just in case they DON'T... let's pretend they do... hmm? Pretty please? Ok thanks. This IS an A/U where a half DEMON is walking around after all... so surely we can suspend our belief in the real enough for a coffee shop too... right? ^_^  
  
I'm going to try and make this a longer chapter. I think the last two were a little too short, don't you? Thanks for the great feedback you reviewers have given me! I love to hear what I am doing right and wrong in a story. A lot of you liked Miroku a lot in that one... thanks!! He's a really fun character to write because of his complexity. Some wonder where Sango is: she'll appear in this chapter. Anyway thanks again!  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 31:  
  
** Inu Yasha's perspective **  
  
Blinking in the bright sun, I peered upwards at the towering building that supposedly housed my brother. The streets teemed with life in this part of the city. Cars, bicyclists, busses and pedestrians all vied with one another while pointedly ignoring each other's existence.  
  
The building in question seemed to be made up completely of mirrored windows, which reflected the suns light. Sitting across the street at a coffee shop with Miroku, I tugged the baseball hat Miroku had bought for me lower over my eyes. Miroku had attempted to talk me out of this again on the way over, claiming that Kikyou couldn't need "saving" if she had not only called, but left an address. I respected Miroku, but sometimes he could be a real dumb ass; saving Kikyou was never the point, it was just the excuse. Well, ok it was the point: but not the WHOLE point. I needed to settle up with Sesshoumaru.  
  
Simple jeans and a white tee shirt seemed strangely out of place on Miroku. We had already circled the building three times looking for a backdoor or some other way into the building. Aside from an underground parking entrance guarded by no less than THREE security guards, the only way inside was through the front door. Additional guards waited just inside the front entrance as well. Why in the hell would my brother need so many damn guards anyway?! Was he afraid of sudden invasion?  
  
When Miroku had scoffed earlier about there being twenty floors of security, we had both known it was an exaggeration. Looking at the building now though, I had to wonder if there really WAS that much security in there.  
  
Stopping at a coffee shop across the street from Sesshoumaru's building, we settled down to think.  
  
"Alright, now what?" Miroku wondered, slouching down across from me in his civilian clothes.  
  
"I'm open to suggestions," I muttered sourly.  
  
"Well then, I suggest we go back home," Miroku said brightly, sitting up straighter in his chair. I should have known that was coming.  
  
"I suggest you tell me what you were planning to do in that building in the first place," a firm feminine voice said close by, causing both of us to turn our heads in surprise. Plopping down in a seat next to Miroku, Kagome set a cup of coffee down in front of her, eyeing me with a dangerous glint in her eye.  
  
Stunned, I could only stare at the dark haired girl in front of me. HOW in the...  
  
"How... " I began, my mind blank.  
  
"I saw you leaving Miroku's house and decided to tag along," she told me with false sweetness, taking a sip of coffee.  
  
Her black hair wasn't combed, settling wildly over her shoulders. Brown eyes regarded me with a predatory gleam, causing me to swallow nervously. Why did I get the feeling she was mad at me? I suddenly felt like a mouse to her cat. I hadn't really seen her like this before; I couldn't be sure if she was angry, or just feeling mischievous. She smelt like lavender.  
  
For reasons even I couldn't fathom considering her attitude at the moment, I had a sudden urge to reach over and hug her. I loved how she constantly surprised me. Images of what she had looked like that morning came shooting through my head, causing me to swallow. I was glad she had found us. Had found me. But why did she...  
  
"Why..." I started gesturing wildly with my hands to get my point across.  
  
"Did I follow you?" she supplied, her smile widening.  
  
"Right," I agreed, worried at my own lack of ability to speak.  
  
"Because you both looked like you were up to something. Normal people don't skulk around a city block casing a business building," she lectured. SKULKING?!  
  
"I don't skulk!" I protested, folding my arms across my chest.  
  
"We did a little bit, Inu Yasha," Miroku admitted, his eyes turning to follow the path of a good-looking girl as she passed by.  
  
"Traitor," I accused, returning my stare to Kagome. It was... good to see her so soon. She seemed to notice my attention suddenly, because she started fidgeting under my stare.  
  
"So what's so special about that building?" she asked finally, taking a quick sip from her coffee, her earlier edge missing for some reason. Miroku answered for me.  
  
"His brother is in that building, and Kikyou is with him," he explained bluntly.  
  
Kagome had taken another sip from her coffee, and at the explanation she choked, turning her head and spewing it out again, coughing.  
  
"SHIT, I completely forgot about her!" she managed, momentarily oblivious to the now angry skinny guy at the next table she had just spit her coffee onto, who then leapt up squawking.  
  
"WATCH it!!" he cried, standing up and turning on her. Startled, Kagome faced him, realizing her mistake.  
  
"I'm so sorry mister!" she apologized, sincerity dripping from each word. Looking at her, the man slowly nodded.  
  
"All right... just watch it," he muttered darkly, turning away and stalking off. "God-damn kids," I heard him mutter under his breath after he was a distance away. The things I hear with these ears of mine.  
  
Sitting down again in embarrassment she hung her head for a second. Watching, I couldn't help the laughter from getting out. GOD she was cute! Hearing me she looked up, glaring at me from beneath her bangs, which only made her cuter to me.  
  
"You knew about Kikyou?" Miroku asked Kagome in surprise, his lips quirking as he fought down his own amusement.  
  
Jerking her head up, she darted shamed looks between us. "It happened yesterday..." she explained, telling us about a strange man who had come to take her away, and Kikyou stepping forward in her place. I shook my head in wonder.  
  
"She threw herself into the lions den, and you FORGOT?" I accused. Oh my, I was going to tease her about this forever.  
  
"Well it's not MY fault! I got distracted!" she shot back at me in outrage. "Oh that reminds me, my mom wants a chat with you," she commented while grinning evilly, causing my hackles to rise. Oh shit, I'd forgotten about that.  
  
"Your mom?" Miroku echoed, raising a questioning eyebrow towards Kagome.  
  
"She came back, and Inu Yasha left so fast his balls are still trying to catch up," she confirmed. I felt my ire rise at that. Where had she gotten such a dirty fucking mouth?!  
  
"Oh? So THAT'S why he came over. He told me he just got bored at your house," Miroku commented, winking at me. I felt sweat pop out on my forehead as they both looked over at me with hard eyes.  
  
"BORED?" Kagome said ominously, her voice deeper than usual.  
  
"Wait just a minute here..." I began, before pausing to collect myself while glaring daggers at Miroku, who smiled at me showing lots of teeth, as though to say, 'revenge is sweet'. "Can we focus here? I have a brother to face," I began again firmly.  
  
Snorting Kagome sat back in her seat, crossing her arms, "this is SO not over, Inu Yasha," she declared.  
  
I glared at her; it was as far as I was concerned. She met my glare with one of her own, and we dueled for a while before Miroku suddenly cursed, standing up. Blinking, I looked up at him. He was frowning furiously at something across the street, his dark blue eyes seeming to burn. My little war with Kagome forgotten for the moment, I glanced over at what he was staring at, before muttering a curse of my own.  
  
"What's wrong with... oh..." Kagome wondered aloud, before seeing what we saw.  
  
Across the street, Sango approached Sesshoumaru's building. Sango wore the same business skirt I remember her wearing when I first met her, and her mood seemed to be the same as then too; if she scowled any harder her face would break.  
  
What in the hell was she DOING here?! Silently we watched as she entered the building, getting patted down by security. Looking back at Miroku I gave a start; he was angry; angry enough to tear the building down using his bare hands. It fairly radiated off of him in waves.  
  
"We're going in," Miroku decided firmly, grabbing my collar and yanking me up. Why was he so pissed? It was only Sango! Slapping his hand away, I straightened my shirt with exaggerated dignity.  
  
"One problem... how do we get inside?" I reminded him, deciding I liked his new attitude. I mean who was I to argue?  
  
"I already figured out a way in," he said over his shoulder, making his way across the street. Staring after him in wonder for a moment, I took a few seconds to process that. Abruptly realizing people were starting to stare at me as I stood there, I tugged my hat lower over my eyes and hurried after him. God I hated being stared at. At least this was on the street... I'd always felt more comfortable on the streets.  
  
"You WHAT?!" I cried, catching up with him next to Sesshoumaru's building. Grabbing his shoulder I tugged, forcing him to face me. "Since when?" I demanded, a little hurt that he had managed to figure a way in before I had.  
  
Instead of speaking he raised an eyebrow in that annoying, 'boy are you ever dense' way he had, pointing up for some reason. Following his finger, my eyes widened as I spotted a window cleaner platform almost three stories up. How had I missed that?! Considering it for a moment, I grinned.  
  
"Why didn't you point it out before?" Kagome wondered from behind me, causing me to jump a little. I had forgotten about her for a moment, crazy as that seemed. Kagome was staring up at the platform above innocently, her hands clasped behind her back. I smiled a little at that thought: Kagome was a lot of things, but she almost never innocent.  
  
"I didn't want to get in before," he explained calmly. "Can you get us up there?" he asked me skeptically.  
  
Snorting I rolled my eyes at him. Who did he think he was talking to? I had to grin. Sesshoumaru was going to be very, very surprised.  
  
*******************************************************  
  
At that moment, the object of Inu Yasha's hatred sat calmly behind his great desk, a contained smile on his face as he regarded Kikyou, who sat on one of his plush leather couches.  
  
** Sesshoumaru's perspective **  
  
I sighed inwardly as I waited for my idiotic brother to rescue his girlfriend. I had found long ago that when you wanted to control Inu Yasha, you didn't go about it directly. You went for the things he liked. As a child you took away his food, or some toy he liked, clothing at other times or just forbade him from leaving the house.  
  
Now that he was grown, and apparently every bit as strong as I feared he would be all those years ago, the only way to get him was to take away his love. I didn't even particularly care if she WAS his love, so long as he just liked her a lot. He would come to me, we would chat, and then my men would dispose of him. That was the plan. I'd figured that kidnapping Kagome in plain sight would cause him to look all over for her, and eventually lead to me.  
  
Alas, a day and a night had passed with no sign of him, and I was beginning to worry. Kagome had long since stopped speaking with me. Not that I minded really. Onigumo had expressed an interest in her, so I supposed once I finished with my brother I would hand her over to him. It wouldn't do to have a girl her age trapped in my office for too much longer.  
  
At first, the girl had demanded answers, and when I'd laughed or ignored those away, she had settled on glaring at me when she found my men wouldn't allow her to leave. Big men, dressed in stylish black with guns. I liked the men-in-black theme. Black always seemed to be in style, not to mention it was intimidating as hell. I know I would be intimidated, if I didn't own them.  
  
Kagome sat on a couch, her back ramrod straight, along a wall beneath a giant abstract painting that I couldn't make heads or tails of. Never could with abstract, which I supposed was the point. I still couldn't figure her out, and I'd be damned if I asked her. But I couldn't help wondering how a Japanese girl came to be a nun... in JAPAN, which was known for having very little to do with the Catholic religion, or any other religion other than Buddhism. And how in all the hells had my brother, who was after all part DEMON, hooked up with her? I shook my head. I probably should ask her, but the honest truth was; I simply didn't care enough. She was bait, and that was it.  
  
Kagome looked distinctly tired, which I couldn't really blame her for. I had allowed her to get some rest if she'd wanted, but she'd stubbornly stayed right where she was. I of course had gone home for the night, after stationing extra men to watch over her. When I'd come back this morning she was in the same position, in the same posture. I had to give her credit; she had spirit.  
  
Not many under-aged girls would keep a cool head like her after being taken by strange men for no reason in broad daylight. I almost pitied her when Onigumo got his hands on her. There were rumors that the man, who was connected with the Yakuza, went through girls... quickly. Apparently he had a son who was nearly as bad, though I'd forgotten the kid's name.  
  
Having gotten tired of the waiting game, I'd decided to allow her to make a few calls, carefully monitored, in order to give Inu Yasha some clues. I'd been surprised when she hadn't called her own house, which was where I'd assumed he might be, and instead called elsewhere. After firm coaching from me, she'd told whoever was on the other end that she was fine, and even the address to my building. I felt confident that when anyone came looking for her after I'd given her away, I could easily point somewhere else so I wasn't suspected. It was good to have connections.  
  
"How exactly do you know Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked me suddenly, the first words I'd heard from her today.  
  
I regarded her in surprise. "You mean you don't know?" I asked mildly, twirling a pencil through my fingers in boredom. I would have thought Inu Yasha would tell his girlfriend that at the least. I'd told my secretary to postpone my meetings for the day, and I was unused to not actually doing something. I made a mental note to never do something like that again.  
  
"Would I have asked if I did?" said Kagome acidly. Once again I couldn't help but admire her spirit.  
  
"Well, we are brothers of course," I replied, ignoring her redundant question. I decided to actually speak with her, more out of boredom than anything else.  
  
Her eyes widened, probably not only from the new information, but from the fact that I'd actually replied to her. I smiled to myself as a long silence stretched; she was so easy to please. Deciding to have some fun, I leaned towards her a little, smiling.  
  
"He's my half brother. He drove my father away, which killed my mother by breaking her heart. That left ME to raise the ungrateful little ass, until he ran away when he was young," I told her coldly through my fake smile, remembered rage warming my belly.  
  
He HAD driven my father away. The little freak was the only reason my father could possibly have left. And my mother could have held on longer, maybe fought the cancer if my father had been around. But she'd just had me, and that hideous white haired offspring of hers that only sucked her strength away, when she should have been saving it. Inu Yasha killed my family, and I would never forgive him. To make matters worse, the thing I hated most had then turned to ME to support it. The mere thought that for years I had done so anyway, made me almost physically ill.  
  
"So what are you planning to do with me?" she wondered, he voice calm.  
  
"Remember the man you met briefly on your way in here yesterday?" I teased, my smile widening.  
  
Frowning she nodded slowly. Oh good.  
  
"He called me last night at home. Apparently he liked you: very much so in fact. So we agreed it would be best if you... stayed with him for a while," I explained, enjoying the moment, watching as a scowl formed on her face.  
  
Any friend of Inu Yasha's was an enemy of mine. Besides, I couldn't have a young girl running around telling people I'd had her kidnapped. This way she wouldn't be doing much running at all. Hell she probably wouldn't be let out of the basement for the rest of her life. Served her right.  
  
"That's not going to happen," she said defiantly. "One call to the police and it's all over," she continued after I didn't argue with her.  
  
I laughed softly at her, shaking my head slightly in disappointment. "My dear, Yakuza consorts don't usually have that freedom. Not if you want your family to live long," I said airily, already bored with the conversation. It was no fun tormenting someone if they didn't react to it.  
  
Slowly her face paled, as what I'd said started to sink in. That was better. I was starting to wonder if anything I said could faze her. Kagome's lips pressed into a flat line, as she settled back into glaring at me again. Well, so much for the entertainment. My intercom started blinking on my desk, distracting me.  
  
"Yes?" I said into the speaker. This had better be good. I'd said no visitors unless the person was a white haired teen. Not that I really minded the disturbance, as bored as I was. It was the principal of the thing.  
  
"There is one Ms. Sango to see you sir. She is most persistent," said the voice of my secretary in the next room. I smirked as I remembered Sango: another person with spirit.  
  
"Tell her to go..." I was interrupted as my door shuddered as someone banged on it. Frowning, I sighed a little. "Let her in. I like my doors without dents in them," I said into the speaker, settling back in my chair. I eyed Kagome, but decided to keep her there. Things had just gotten more complicated, but I didn't mind. I liked complications; it made life more interesting.  
  
The door unlatched electronically, to revealed a very put out Sango, who stormed into the room. Seeing her face, I reached under my desk, pressing the green button, which would summon two guards into my office. There were three buttons, green, yellow, and red. If I pushed the red button every guard in the place would come running.  
  
Sango's already furious face turned even darker at the sight of Kagome sitting on the couch. "What is the meaning of this Sesshoumaru!" she demanded, her hands clenched into fists.  
  
Sitting back in my plush chair, I crossed my arms, putting on an innocent face.  
  
"What are you talking about Ms. Sango? We were just chatting," I told her patronizingly. I was still a bit pissed about the donations she had forced me to make to that charity. It was a good move politically, but once again, it was the principal of the thing.  
  
"I didn't know about Kikyou until just now, you ass! I'm talking about you getting me fired!" she shouted at me, as I felt a shock run through me.  
  
Kikyou?! I darted a look at the girl on the couch, watching as she stared back, a large smile on her face. I quickly calmed myself as I felt an explosive anger try to consume me. I had somehow gotten the wrong GIRL?! The people who picked her up were going to pay.  
  
Now I would have to dispose of both of them, and I still had to find the real Kagome now. Regarding Sango, I quickly composed myself as best I could. I had almost forgotten getting her fired the night before.  
  
"Don't blame ME. All I said to your boss was I would reveal his secret organization to the world if he didn't fire you. He was the one who actually did it," I told her, feeling very smug. She had started this after all. I actually kind of liked her, despite her friendship with Inu Yasha. As I spoke, two of my best men stepped inside the room behind her, taking up positions at the door.  
  
Sango, obviously at her limit, stepped towards me, probably to do something nasty to me. before she had taken a few steps, a guard rushed up behind her, hitting her in the back of the head with the end of his gun. Surprised and hurt, she staggered to her knees on the floor in front of my desk, cradling the back of her head.  
  
Kag... no, Kikyou gasped, standing up and rushing to the other woman's side. Glaring up at me with fire in her eyes, she stood.  
  
"I swear your going to regret ever meeting me," Kikyou hissed at me, the nuns' hands turning white as she clenched them into fists. Sighing tiredly, I rubbed my eyes. What was one more enemy on my list? A nun almost seemed fitting.  
  
"I already do. Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have saved yourself if you'd just told me your real name?" I told her sadly.  
  
Suddenly Sango gasped, looking towards my windows. At first I didn't see what the big deal was... it was just some people on a window-washing platform. Then I stared into a pair of golden eyes blazing at me in anger like the heart of a sun, from the other side of the glass. A girl who looked almost exactly like Kikyou stood next to him on the platform. A young man was with them, scowling angrily as well. He was probably the real window washer, angry and having his platform hijacked.  
  
Inu Yasha had his hands pressed against the glass and I watched, a little amazed as slowly, cracks started spider webbing where his hands were. That should have been completely impossible; that glass was very thick. But then, this was Inu Yasha.  
  
Rage at seeing him blossomed like a sick flower inside of me, and I found myself smiling into his furious face.  
  
"Hello brother," I said coldly, as I pressed the red button under my desk.  
  
****************************************************************  
  
OK there's chapter 31! That's 9 pages in Microsoft word; a lot of the other chapters are about 6 or 7 pages. (SOME are 10 or 12, but very few.) I wish I knew how to make bold letters and italics appear on fan-fiction. I mean, I can use them, but when I load it into fan-fiction it makes it all plain. So I never bother. How do some of you DO it?  
  
Anyway thanks to all the reviewers once again! Emania gave a couple REALLY insightful reviews, so thanks for that! I think you were right about the style... kind of play-like. Anyway.. until next time!! ^_^ 


	32. Chapter 32 The Face of Anger

MY GOODNESS!! TWO milestones in ONE chapter!! With this chapter, I am passing the 100,000-word mark for my story, AND I'm passing the 1,000- review mark as well!! (Well... as long as more than four people review at least crosses fingers) I can't BELIEVE it!! Man, when I started, I didn't think THAT was going to happen. And it's all thanks to you!  
  
Just so you know, as far as this story goes... feel free to print it out, chop it up, roll up and smoke, or use it for inspiration in your own story. As long as you don't erase my name from my story and put in yours, then any or all of the things above are fine with me. Just be careful with the smoking part... it's bad for you. ^_^  
  
All right! thanks to everyone once more for the great feedback! I tried the HTML thing, but every time I tried my whole computer froze up, and I had to reboot every time. So THAT'S out I guess. Damn it. But at least I know HOW, so thank you for that! Maybe it's my computer...  
  
Guess what? This chapter won't only be long. It's going to have a LOT of stuff happening in it. A LOT I tell you! AND it's ALL going to be from Kagome's perspective! Ok, I should probably prove it to you all... um... lamely points down towards the chapter... eh... see? Okaaaaay...  
  
And now, on with the show! ^_^  
  
*********************************************************  
  
Moments before the end of last chapter...  
  
Chapter 32:  
  
** Kagome's perspective **  
  
You would be surprised how hard the wind blows, more than twenty-five stories up. It made me glad that I had thought to wear a sweater today. I'm actually afraid of heights: deathly afraid, really. Something about a long fall and a hard landing has always made me a little nervous. Some people go on and on about the wonderful view, or the thrill of it, but I've never bought into all of that. If we were meant to be in the air, we would have been born with parachutes.  
  
The not-so-solid window-cleaners platform did absolutely nothing for my nerves either. Made of rather thin wood and metal supports, it rocked gently (and alarmingly) as gusts of wind pushed into us, funneled in its passage through the city by all of the large buildings nearby. Why had I thought it to be a good idea to join Inu Yasha in this hair-brained stunt?! I hadn't even tried to talk him out of it!  
  
I had been ready to rip him a new one too... right up until I had found him again. Then he'd just stared at me, and suddenly I couldn't really remember why I was so mad. So what if he ditched me when mom came home. Looking into his eyes, I'd come to the shocking conclusion that I could probably forgive him of anything, within reason. All he had to do was crook his finger, and all reason flew away... just like my hair clip!  
  
With a startled oath I made a grab for the item as the wind whipped into the three of us, and tore it from its place in my hair. Missing it by inches, I squeaked as I started to unbalance over the railing of the platform, hardly feeling the warm arms that suddenly wrapped about my middle to support me. Forlornly, I watched as the clip flipped end over end, as it fell towards the ground far below.  
  
Freed from restriction, my hair billowed around me, getting into my eyes as I sighed in defeat. I had loved that clip. Shit, I hope the people below were going to be okay. I'd heard that if you dropped a penny from some of the higher buildings in the world, that it could kill someone walking on the street.  
  
Realizing that I hadn't been released yet from the comforting arms around me, I turned to see Inu Yasha's face inches from mine. A shiver passed down my spine, as I tucked some of my wild hair behind my ear to regard him.  
  
"Thanks," I told him quietly, hoping we could stay like this for a while longer.  
  
"Careful, it's a long fall," he murmured softly, staring intently at me, his eyes glowing golden in the bright sunlight, as he dashed my hopes by letting go of me.  
  
Suddenly feeling cold, I wrapped my arms around myself as I watched him turn to the rope and pulley system, where together with Miroku, they hauled downwards, forcing the platform to climb higher alongside the building.  
  
"I thought...these things... were supposed to have... electric motors... or something!" Miroku huffed between each yank of the rope. Inu Yasha made no reply, so focused was he. I just shrugged at Miroku, shivering in the cold. It was really Amazing, how cold the wind made a warm day.  
  
Watching Inu Yasha's back, I frowned thoughtfully.  
  
Why couldn't the two of us ever just have a quiet day alone together? I'd realized after he had left that I needed to find the courage to tell him how I felt. With the way things have been going since I met him, I might NEVER get a good chance to tell him. Something stopped me from blurting it out right on the spot though, besides the knowledge of certain embarrassment from doing it in front of Miroku. What if he didn't feel the same? I felt sick at the thought.  
  
What if he saw me as... a sister? A revolted shudder struck me at THAT. Or what if he was still planning on running from me, now that mom was back? I had to tell him that mom was willing to listen now! Looking down again, I squeezed my eyes shut and grabbed the railing in support, as a sudden vertigo crept through me. Now was probably not a good time.  
  
The wind struck us again, tearing the cap on Inu Yasha's head right off, carrying it away to follow my hairclip, revealing the white dog-ears I loved so much, which promptly flattened as they braced against the wind, as though they had a mind of their own. His beautiful silver-white hair floated in the breeze, as though enjoying the fierce wind. On the other end of the platform, Miroku panted as he and Inu Yasha heaved again on the ropes, his face turned into a determined scowl.  
  
Something strange had gotten into Miroku when he'd seen Sango enter the building. I still didn't understand why we couldn't just walk in through the front door. It's not like Inu Yasha's brother would kill us, or something; at least not in such a public place. Well, that's what I was hoping anyway. After all, anyone who was willing to kidnap, might not balk at murder too. Oh well, boys will be boys, and when these two got together, it seemed that held especially true.  
  
I still couldn't get over the guilt I felt at forgetting about Kikyou's sacrifice. How could I be that cold?! Crying from nightmares and cuddling with Inu Yasha, while she went through God knows what. Well... I wasn't really sorry about the cuddling part, but the rest was inexcusable!  
  
Abruptly the platform jerked to halt, causing me to stumble, grasping onto railing for dear life. Miroku spoke up before I could let them know exactly what I thought about the sudden halt.  
  
"Sango!" he gasped, his face turning red with anger, as he looked through the window they had dragged us up level with.  
  
I found myself looking into a posh office, with paintings on the walls and expensive looking furniture placed throughout. Kikyou sat on one of the couches, staring at a handsome black haired man sitting behind a large desk, who looked distinctly bored as a furious Sango yelled at him from where she stood across from him. I couldn't hear anything at all through the glass, but from her face, I was just as happy not knowing exactly what she was saying. Two large men of the same type I had met yesterday stood behind her, looking dangerous.  
  
The man said something, and Sango started towards him, murder in her eyes. Quickly one of the men stepped behind her, clubbing her to her knees with brutal force.  
  
"No!!" I screamed, pounding on the glass, which didn't seem to make any noise louder than a very faint and dully thump. There had to be a way in there! What was going ON?!  
  
Kikyou rushed to Sango's side, checking her to see how hurt she was. That bastard was going to pay! Kikyou seemed to agree with me, as she stood and barked something at him, which only seemed to amuse him, the smug bastard. I hadn't seen him for more than a minute, and had never heard his voice, but I was pretty sure I hated him already.  
  
Then the whole room was staring at us, and Inu Yasha in particular. After a moment I understood why. Inu Yasha had his palms pressed against the glass, his shoulders shaking, his long silver hair hiding his face from me as he peered into the room. With a shock, I saw the glass start to slowly crack where his hands were, with the same crystal sound one might hear ice fracture, when put suddenly into warm water.  
  
"Inu Yasha?" I asked, suddenly worried for him. He suddenly seemed very dangerous, and I abruptly wished I had stayed at home. Why couldn't I be sensible just ONCE and stay home?  
  
Miroku glared into the room as well, his face a thunderhead, with his eyes riveted on Sango, who was looking back at him with some surprise as one hand held the back of her head.  
  
Realizing that no one was saying anything, or more importantly, DOING anything, I decide to speak up.  
  
"Well hurry up, and get us to the roof guys! Are you just going to stand here and STARE?! They need our help!" I cried impatiently, planting my fists on my hips.  
  
Miroku managed to tear his gaze from Sango long enough to regard me, blinking at me as he suppressed his anger.  
  
"...right, sorry about that," he said after a moment, giving his head a shake. He went to nudge Inu Yasha, but stopped as a low, but very clear growl arose from Inu Yasha's chest. His entire body trembling, the glass cracked even more around his hands, and I shared a worried look with Miroku.  
  
Licking my suddenly dry lips, I hesitantly approached him. "Inu Yasha?" I said again, just stopping myself from touching him. I felt that if I dared touch him, he might explode.  
  
The wind gusted, bringing his hair away from his face enough for me to see his eyes in profile. Gasping I stepped back, now knowing something was most definitely wrong. His golden orbs, usually clear and filled with life, had seemed to darken into a copper color, a slight tinge of red seeming to dance within them. His teeth bared and his mouth moved in a snarl, the wind carrying the name "Sesshoumaru" to my ears.  
  
With a shout, Miroku dove towards me, tackling me and dragging us both to the deck of the now swinging platform. Above me, I heard the sound of glass shattering, and I watched as though in slow motion as Inu Yasha's arms moved THROUGH the glass, millions of glittering pieces exploding around us as he shattered the window with explosive energy. I stared in awe from my position at Inu Yasha as he stood there, his arms outstretched through the large hole he had just made, his face unflinching as debris and glass whistled past his face, accompanied by a howling, whistling sound as the room inside depressurized to match the air outside.  
  
Oddly, very little glass actually landed on Miroku and I. It seemed to suck itself far out into the air, as it fell in a deadly rain on the streets below. I wondered idly if the people below were starting to question why the building was puking on them. Not nearly done, Inu Yasha kicked at the remaining glass, clearing a path for himself as he stepped into the room to stare into the shocked eyes of the man, Sesshoumaru I supposed, sitting behind the desk. Climbing to my feet, with Miroku's help, I followed Inu Yasha into the room, eager to be away from the platform of doom, as I was starting to think of it.  
  
The wind whistling into the room drowned out anything that was said until I was safely inside. It didn't matter anyway; mostly it was Inu Yasha snarling something at his brother. Glaring at the man with the gun nearby, I hurried to Sango's side, and knelt down next to her, searching her face as she stared over my shoulder at something. She didn't seem to see me at all; surprise and shock still clear on her pretty features.  
  
"Sango?" I said into her face, shaking her slightly. "SANGO!" I said more forcefully, shaking her more. Blinking suddenly, her eyes napped onto me, the intelligence she had seemed to lose for a moment returning into her brown eyes quickly. "Are you alright?" I asked gently, happy she had returned from whatever dreamland she had escaped to.  
  
"Yes, just surprised, that's all," she told me after a moment, giving me a reassuring smile. Helping her to her feet, I turned to Kikyou, who had silently grabbed Sango's arm to help support her.  
  
"I'm so sorry Kikyou," I told her, my voice breaking with my guilt. "I should have come sooner..." I started before she gave me a quick smile.  
  
"Don't worry. It was pretty boring actually. Sesshoumaru isn't much of a talker most of the time," she said, her crystalline voice holding a note of amusement in it. Damn, she had been kidnapped, and obviously threatened, and she was still so strong! I smiled at her in admiration, and then blinked as a cracking sound ripped across the room, as though a lightning bolt had ripped a tree in two.  
  
Startled we all turned to see Inu Yasha was standing in the wreckage of what had once been a very expensive looking desk. His foot lay imbedded in the floor, the desk cracked into halves on each side of him. Inu Yasha stood over Sesshoumaru with clenched fists like a god of vengeance; a really hot god of vengeance. Despite it all, Sesshoumaru sat still in his designer chair, regarding Inu Yasha with calm detachment.  
  
"So, you're Kagome," his cultured and deep voice sounded from across the room, as he looked away from Inu Yasha towards me.  
  
Startled, I looked over into the dark eyes of the man, his face a blank mask, unsure of why he had singled ME out. What did the pervert want with me?!  
  
"So I am. What do you want, you jerk?!" I retorted, folding my arms and glaring at him.  
  
Before Sesshoumaru could respond, Inu Yasha reached down with a snarl and picked him up by his expensive shirt, until they where eye-to-eye. Finally some emotion broke onto Sesshoumaru's face; undisguised hatred. A rage I had never seen in him before was plastered across Inu Yasha's face, as he leaned in towards his brother with a snarl.  
  
"You will leave Kagome alone! You will leave ME alone, and you'll leave my FRIENDS alone! You will... or I swear I'll kill you right now," he hissed into the dark, unflinching eyes of his brother. A cold chill rushed down my spine as I realized that Inu Yasha meant what he was saying. He really would kill him.  
  
I almost shouted to tell him no, but then I remembered everything that Inu Yasha had suffered at the hands of this man, and suddenly I couldn't muster the strength to raise my voice. For a moment, I almost felt like threatening Sesshoumaru too.  
  
"I'll do what I want, you fucking little shit," Sesshoumaru spat back at him, suddenly gesturing towards me.  
  
Abruptly I felt the cold metal of something hard pressed to the back of my head, and I froze, my mind going completely blank. Inu Yasha turned to follow the path of his brothers' gesture, and his face turned pale as his eyes met mine. I looked into his beautiful eyes, suddenly very sad that I hadn't told him that I loved him before all of this.  
  
I should have told him when he had found me at school, or at the mall. Or after he'd recovered from getting shot, or when I had kissed him, or last night. My eyes burned and my vision blurred as it struck me how unfair this was. I should have told him this morning, and to hell with what mom thought! Grimly I fought the tears, swallowing as I kept my eyes locked with his, refusing to acknowledge that this was it. If I were supposed to die, the goon holding a gun to my head would have pulled the trigger by now.  
  
"Now, set me down, dear brother," Sesshoumaru grated out, his face smug.  
  
Without a word, Inu Yasha released Sesshoumaru, stepping away as he did so, all without looking away from me. His gaze flickered to look at the man behind me, glaring. The color hadn't returned to his face yet though, which send thrills of terror through me. If Inu Yasha was scared...  
  
The weight of metal left my head, and I slowly turned to look behind me, at the man who had backed away slightly, his gun still trained on me only a few feet away. Behind him, more men in black suits had come, filling the doorway, and from the sound of it, filling the room beyond it with their numbers. A lump formed in my throat, as I remembered that night, which almost seemed like a lifetime ago, when another set of goons had pointed a gun at me, in a rainy alleyway.  
  
Suddenly, I had to know. "Did you enjoy the things you did to Inu Yasha, when he was little?" I asked Sesshoumaru in a monotone over my shoulder, still not able to take my eyes away from the gun.  
  
Sesshoumaru barked a humorless laugh.  
  
"He's a demon. That should tell you something. Everything about him is unclean. Mother never meant to have him. He was a complete mistake. His presence drove my father away, and his real father didn't care enough to stay either. He killed our mother. Half demon means half-filth, half-dead, half-human, and half-soul. There is nothing in him that isn't a giant error. Mom died cursing his name... did you know that, Inu Yasha?" he wondered, addressing his brother for a moment.  
  
"You were young, but she hated you so," he continued cruelly. "The sight of you made her ill, and her sickness worse, and she knew it. We all knew it. Inu Yasha is a disease. I'm sure if mom were alive, she would say the same thing."  
  
Sometime during Sesshoumaru's rant, Inu Yasha had started to give choked out sounds, quickly stifled. I felt my heart breaking in my chest with each cold word, and I finally broke away from looking at the gun to turn to regard him. Inu Yasha stood, thunderstruck, his entire body quivering with pent up emotion. His fists were clenched at his sides as he stared at his brother as though he were a cobra. My heart seemed to beat in my throat at the sight, and all I wanted to do was hold him.  
  
"Don't move," Sesshoumaru's hard voice rang out at me, halting me before I could go towards Inu Yasha. "Look at him," he commanded, circling around his stiff brother like a shark. "Isn't he pathetic? You tell him the truth, and look how he breaks down. You asked, didn't you Kagome? Well I haven't answered you yet. Did I enjoy what I did to him? What about what he did to us? Did HE enjoy that? I'll bet he did. I know he did. And I enjoyed paying him back. He deserved every bruised rib, broken bone, and shit eating second of his young life. I wish I had a video tape of it, so I could watch it happen again," he finished, smirking into Inu Yasha's white face, which had lost all emotion.  
  
I turned at the sound of Kikyou making a muffled sound. Her hand covered her mouth, her eyes as wide as teacups. Something had finally managed to make her loose her cool. Sango had turned white as a sheet, and her lips pressed into a thin line. I felt oddly numb, in something like shock. I had never known someone like Sesshoumaru could actually exist outside of some bad movie. All at once, I realized I hadn't heard anything from Miroku since I had entered, but before I thought to look, Sango's voice grabbed my attention.  
  
"You're sick," Sango whispered hoarsely at Sesshoumaru; just what I was going to say.  
  
And then, the gun behind me that I had almost forgotten about in the face of Sesshoumaru's words went off, followed by the sound of a bullet ricocheting soon after. Heart pounding, I instinctively ducked at the sound, and whirled to look over my shoulder, a little surprised I was still alive. Miroku, who had remained so silent, stood over me, wrestling with the larger man for control of the gun.  
  
As they struggled, dancing around in frantic circles, Sesshoumaru shouted at the other men to help, and the other men in black stepped forward for a second before another shot went off, hitting one of them in the knee. With a cry he folded, clutching his bloody limb as the two men continued to fight over the gun. The rest of them men hesitated, not wanting to end with a bullet in them as well. Some pulled guns from holsters, but didn't fire, not wanting to hit one of their own.  
  
We all ducked as more shots went off in wild directions, no one daring to approach.  
  
Strength won out, and Miroku was thrown sprawling to the ground, as the large man, out of breath, leveled the gun at the downed priest. The gun went off with a flash, but was jerked out of line slightly as Inu Yasha rushed in from the side, barreling into him and throwing the man into the wall with enough force to send him through it. The man stayed down, slumping where he had landed as plaster fell down around him from the dent he had made. Miroku cried out in pain, cradling his hand as blood flowed through his fingers.  
  
"Miroku!" Sango cried in alarm. Rushing to his side, she tore the sleeve off her own business suit to wrap it around his trembling hand.  
  
Inu Yasha hardly hesitated after throwing the big man into the wall. His motions a blur, he ran into the midst of the surprised crowd at the door, getting in too close for them to fire their weapons amongst themselves. With flailing limbs they struggled and fought, and one by one, they fell as he punched a gut here, or hit someone in the face there, hard and with enough power to nearly rip their heads off.  
  
More men tried to push into the room, but the press was too tight, and slowly Inu Yasha fought until he was on one side of the door and they on the other. They might have been able to shoot him down, if the ones in front had enough space to back up, but the ones in back made this impossible. Quickly Kikyou and I ran behind him, dragging limp bodies out of the way between us, and started shoving the door closed. Inu Yasha noticed and with a final punch that set another man flying into his comrades, he leapt back and helped shut the stout door.  
  
Panting, I watched as Inu Yasha fiddled with the lock in an attempt to jam it, while the door shuddered under the blows of the men on the other side, hammering into it. Kikyou stood next to him with her back to me, helping him keep the doors shut as Inu Yasha struggled with the lock.  
  
Miroku and Sango were off to the side, speaking in hushed tones and ignoring everything else. I was startled by the way they were looking at each other. Sango had his hand cradled in her lap, and Miroku was looking at her as though the sun rose and set in her eyes. When had they gotten together?! Wasn't Miroku a PRIEST?! I was about to check on Miroku (and maybe find out exactly what was going on between them), when an arm grabbed me from behind, and something sharp was pressed to my neck, causing my breath to freeze in my chest.  
  
Shit, Sesshoumaru! We had actually forgotten about the most dangerous man in the room, besides Inu Yasha!  
  
"Easy," Sesshoumaru whispered into my ear, dragging me away from my friends, who hadn't noticed yet what had happened. I opened my mouth a few times in an effort to shout, or scream, or... something! All that came out was a soft croak as my lungs refused to function.  
  
'Oh God... Inu Yasha!' I screamed inside, wishing he could somehow hear me. A small surge of anger flared inside of me, almost overcoming my fear. Why in the hell was I always the one who got held up?! We had come all this way to rescue Kikyou... and here I was, and I needed rescuing AGAIN!!  
  
We were towards the back of the room before Inu Yasha and Kikyou, finally satisfied that the door would hold turned around, eyes widening as they saw me.  
  
"SHIT! Not again!" Inu Yasha exclaimed, his face and neck a mass of bruises and cuts where some of the guards had gotten some good hits in. He sounded almost tired. Well, at least I wasn't the only one to see the injustice of the moment.  
  
The two love birds looked up, Miroku biting back an oath as he struggled to his feet, Sango beside him, both looking as though they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. If it weren't for the sharp object being pressed to my throat by a raging psychopath, I might have felt a little more satisfaction.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't kill her -- unless you press me. Just stay where you all are, and unlock that door," Sesshoumaru ordered, pressing into my neck tighter, causing me to squeak as I rose on my toes to ease the pressure.  
  
Everyone looked at Inu Yasha as he glared at Sesshoumaru, deciding what to do. Then he looked at me, his eyes softening as our eyes met, causing butterflies to flutter inside my stomach despite the situation, as I realized Inu Yasha would do anything for me. Anything. A plan began to form in my mind as I considered Sesshoumaru. All I needed to do was wait until he relaxed, just a little.  
  
I nodded as much as whatever was pressed to my throat would allow, and Inu Yasha's shoulders slumped in defeat, slowly turning to unlock the door that still thudded, as the men on the other side attempted to knock it down. I was amazed how sturdy the door was. With Inu Yasha's back to us, I felt the tension leave Sesshoumaru, and with him, the thing at my throat -- which was exactly what I had hoped for.  
  
Summoning all of my courage, pain and anger towards Sesshoumaru, I brought up both hands to grip his hand at my throat, pushing the weapon away, even as I stomped down hard with my heel on his instep. Sesshoumaru jerked in surprise, yelping in shock as I used that second of freedom to throw my hips backwards forcefully into his, creating space enough for me to ram both of my elbows as hard as I could into his solar plexus.  
  
His breath whooshed out of him as I, not pausing, dodged his hand that I now saw held an envelope opener, as he weakly made a belated swipe at me. I twirled to face him and took half a step back, but then my anger took over and my vision turned red. This fucking ASSHOLE had tried to use me to hurt Inu Yasha! TWICE! I HATED HIM!!  
  
Rushing back into him, I brought my knee up as hard as I could into his groin, hopping back quickly in case he tried to stab me anyway, my heart pounding in my ears with the adrenaline.  
  
Sesshoumaru doubled over, clutching himself while his eyes bulged with the pain, which conveniently brought his face almost level with mine. With all the strength I had in me, I punched him in that snotty, overbearing, too handsome face, snapping him back just enough to topple him over.  
  
Not hardly satisfied, I began kicking him with abandon as he lay on the ground, aiming for anything that was within reach, which at the moment happened to be his balls and stomach. I only got more upset as I went, intensifying my efforts, angry that he hadn't cried out once. I wanted to hear him scream!  
  
Before I knew it, the rest of the world had faded away, until all I was focused on was Sesshoumaru, and what I was doing. All I saw was his body as I kicked it, all I felt was the satisfied pain in my knuckles and feet as I pounded into him, and all I heard was my own breath as I beat him, and his grunts as he took it. I think I was screaming, or yelling something, but I wasn't sure what, and didn't really care. Then I realized someone else was saying something, but I chose not to care about that either, as I sent another vicious kick into him yet again.  
  
Hands grabbed me, and I struggled against them, annoyed they were getting in the way. The hands were too strong though, and I was twirled around before I registered the movement and my face was pressed into a warm chest, as I continued to struggle, grunting and yelling as strong arms wrapped around me, trapping my arms between our bodies in a hug.  
  
Slowly the world came back into focus, and it dawned on me that it was Inu Yasha who had enfolded me in the hug, and his heart that I heard beating next to my ear. I looked up, breathing hard from my exertions into Inu Yasha's face. He was looking down at me not inches away with a strange, soft look that rooted me to the spot, calming me at last.  
  
I felt the heat of my anger leave me, as something equally hot, but completely foreign to me took its place in the pit of my stomach. My knees felt weak all of a sudden, and I wasn't so sure any longer that he wasn't holding me up. I swallowed, breathing harder as I realized how close his lips were to mine.  
  
"Think I over did it?" I managed, clutching to him now. He smelt good... sort of spicy.  
  
He smiled radiantly at me, his gold eyes sparkling as he reached up to gently tug my sweat damp hair from my forehead, his touch seeming to tingle on my skin. How can a man look so good after getting beaten black and blue?  
  
"Nope. You did just fine," he said happily, looking down at his groaning brother.  
  
"I'd hate to interrupt, but we need to get out of here," Miroku said from behind Inu Yasha, making Inu Yasha release me with a sigh.  
  
I wasn't sure, but it seemed like he was reluctant to do it. I felt my soul soar at the thought. Maybe he wouldn't run away if I told him...  
  
I looked down at Sesshoumaru, a little sick at myself for what I had done. He lay curled into a fetal position, groaning and bruised. That wasn't me. I wasn't a cruel person. I despised the man even more for drawing that side of me out.  
  
Inu Yasha straddled his brother, slapping his busted face lightly to get his attention.  
  
"Is there a way out of here? Some way besides those doors?" Inu Yasha asked, strangely gentle.  
  
"...Body bags..." Sesshoumaru slurred in defiance, spitting blood into Inu Yasha's face.  
  
"Wrong answer," Inu Yasha said sadly, reaching over and taking one of Sesshoumaru's hands in his. With ease, he bent one of the fingers back, causing Sesshoumaru to cry out in agony.  
  
"You owe me your life you know, Sessh. I don't think Kagome was going to stop. Leave me and mine alone, tell me how to get out of here, and we never have to look at each other again," Inu Yasha explained in a conversational tone, breaking a finger easily. I winced despite myself. That would hurt! Sesshoumaru howled, his feet drumming with the pain.  
  
The thumping on the door halted with the scream, and the voices on the other side started shouting, asking if their boss was okay. I looked at his beaten form. He was definitely not okay.  
  
"Why don't we just take the platform back down?" I asked urgently, not enjoying the torture. I didn't care if the man deserved it, we were better than that.  
  
"We could, but then they could probably just cut the rope above us by the time we were halfway down," Kikyou said thoughtfully. Sango nodded in agreement, still at Miroku's side.  
  
"Well?" Inu Yasha said to his brother, taking another of his fingers in his grip threateningly.  
  
Sesshoumaru seemed to struggle with himself for a moment. "...I have... a helicopter on the roof..." he said at last, raggedly.  
  
"We ARE most of the way to the roof. It wouldn't take long," Miroku commented thoughtfully.  
  
"What good is that?!" I exclaimed. "Does anyone know how to fly?" I wondered, looking around.  
  
Miroku had the good grace to look embarrassed.  
  
"Well, it's better than the alternative," Sango commented, smiling at Miroku. She had a point.  
  
As though to emphasize that, a hole was punched through the door as they began shooting at the lock from the other side. It wouldn't be long before they broke through.  
  
"Time to go!" Inu Yasha called, grabbing my arm as he passed on his way to the broken window. "Everyone on!" he yelled, helping me out onto the platform beside him. I gripped his arm tightly as a wave of dizziness swept over me as I accidentally looked down, the wind whipping my hair about.  
  
Everyone climbed on, and the two men each grabbed a rope – Miroku only using one hand, his other hand curled painfully against him. Looking back into the room where so much terror had played out in so short a time, I was overcome by a wave of sadness. Had all of this happened just because a young boy had lost his mother? A comforting hand fell on my shoulder, and I turned to look into the brown eyes of Kikyou beside me.  
  
She was so brave. I turned and hugged her to me, feeling comfort as she hugged me back, knowing somehow that she understood exactly what I was thinking. I had to wonder, would we ever be free of Sesshoumaru's vengeance?  
  
Looking out into the clear vista of the city over Kikyou's shoulder, I held out hope that we could find a way.  
  
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Heh, well what did you think? I wrote twelve pages that time. Did you like it? I liked this chapter personally... although I probably say that with a ton of bias. Well then, until next time! Thanks again for the great reviews!! 


	33. Chapter 33 That Long and Crazy Day, I

1Okay, Here is what I have so far. I know, it's not much AT ALL after how long it's been on the back burner, but I have to start somewhere. Maybe by posting this and getting some feed back, the rest will flow easier.

I had a completely different chapter half written out for months upon months, but it got to a point where I simply couldn't figure out where to take it. I'm stubborn though, so it sat for many months more, before I would admit to myself that I was trying to write a chapter that I thought I HAD to write, rather than the chapter that I really WANTED to write. I knew that I wanted to get Inuyasha back to school, so I said to hell with it, why not just jump right to it. And just like that, the damn broke. The block was gone. Mostly.

Just goes to show... The subconscious is the ultimate passive-aggressive warrior. (Sigh)

And now, On with the show!

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**Part Two:**

**Chapter 33:** _That long and crazy day, Part: I_

With some last minute help from Sango's people, who arrived in an aircraft at the top of the tower, Inuyasha and friends somehow made it off the building and evaded both the authorities and Sesshoumaru's thugs alike. Sango refused to answer any of their questions on why the agency she supposedly didn't even work for any longer had decided to help them, or how they had known to arrive exactly when and where they were needed.

The point was, they were free to do as they wished. Sango left with promises to visit, while Miroku and Kikyou both left to join the missionaries that so desperately needed their aid, after also promising to visit. Kagome convinced Inuyasha to stay with her, and together the two came home. Days later, Sota and Grandpa Higurashi returned, both reacting to Inuyasha with surprising ease.

_Two weeks later..._

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** Inuyasha's perspective **

_The storm had passed, and it was time to look to the next day. The day I would go to school._

I stared at the ceiling, with the house quiet and the sun still not risen outside. Listening for footfalls on the stairs, I turned over onto my side, the couch cushions proving once again too soft to allow me to feel comfortable. I mean, I've lived on the street for years. Sleeping on something soft just feels unnatural! I was determined to try to get used to it. Every night since I'd started staying at Kagome's, I would started out sleeping on the couch, only to end up on the floor come morning.

Oh, how Sota, Kagome's younger brother, loved to find me like that! I still wasn't quite sure whether he saw me as a role model or a pet. I'd pinned him with wrestler moves and made him cry uncle enough times that we both knew who was in charge, but with him you could never be sure. The little brat just kept coming back for more.

For the last few weeks, Kagome's mom, Gramps, and Sango would take turns teaching me what I needed to know to go to school. And for the last two weeks, I had managed to forget what would happen once I finished.

_School._

The thought made me shudder. How was I going to survive? The only other time I had gone there, I had been the focus of every eye, like I smelled funny. And I know for a fact that I'd smelt just fine. Sango had made sure of that. Now I would have to endure the same thing every day! It was only a matter of time before someone started something. In my experience, it usually involved someone throwing something hard at my head. At least Kagome would be there. I hadn't seen very much of her since Sota and Gramps had come back. She would be busy at school, or I would be busy being schooled, or Sota would want to play, or Gramps would want to talk, or Kagome's mom would have some errand for me to run or chore to do.

Altogether, Kagome and I had only been able to talk briefly in the hall, or at dinner. It didn't seem to bother her at all. I felt a sharp tug in my gut at the thought. She seemed happy to jump back into her life. Had this all been a mistake? Why was I even here? It was obvious she only thought of me as a friend, or maybe something to be pitied. Probably both. A memory of Hojo at the mall resurfaced, causing me to huff and turn over onto my other side in agitation.

Yeah, I had a pretty good idea of the type of guy she liked. Shit! Why couldn't I just sleep? Thoughts like these were driving me crazy! It's not like it really changed anything. I had known all of this since the first day I'd met her. Despite it all, I was glad I would be able to hang out with her more during the day. The price was steep though. I really hoped I was strong enough to take the ridicule.

Sighing, I got up off the couch, pacing in the dark. I had too much energy! It would probably be a few hours before the sun came up, and my day of agony began. The walls of the living room seemed to close in on me as I paced. Suddenly, I felt closed in. I needed air. Without further thought, I stepped to the front door and went outside, the chill blast of fresh air that met me felt like a soothing caress. Slowly, shivering slightly in my boxers, I stepped out onto the walkway that led out to the courtyard with the great tree and the stairs to the street.

Approaching the tree, I looked up, remembering how I had come to be with Kagome and her family. It had started right here, with a storm and a bolt from the sky. Maybe this was all a life lesson. Maybe I was supposed to be here to learn how the other side lived, so when I inevitably found myself back on the street, I would know exactly what I was missing. You know, so god could torture me more. The sky held no clouds. Every star seemed to be out, the dotted scape a marbled black and purple as the sun approached off of the earths rim.

"What's your problem, boxer boy? You look like a duck just pooped in your tea," a small voice chirped from the tree, jolting me from my thoughts.

"Who the-!" I yelped with a start, as I looked around wildly for the source of the voice, finally settling on a small figured huddled on a branch a distance up.

"Hey, calm down! I'm just talking. No need to get your shorts in a bunch," the voice laughed.

"Hey... you're that fox thing, right?" I exclaimed, surprised. What was his name? I hadn't seen him since the earthquake. How had he found me? I didn't believe in coincidences.

"Who the hell are you callin' a '_fox thing_', dog breath! The name's Shippo!" Shippo cried indignantly, bringing a smirk to my lips.

"You know, for a little squirt, you cuss a lot. Don't you have any manners?" I countered, enjoying myself.

"Says the ass to the horse!" Shippo growled, his fury mounting. I swear, I could almost see his face turning red in the dim light.

"What did _that _mean? Do you even understand the words that come out of your mouth?" I laughed.

"Gaahh!!" Shippo shouted in frustration, leaping at me like a little baby fox commando.

Eyes widening, I sprang away, dodging the Kitsune as he rushed me in a berserkers fury. Okay, maybe I had pushed him. But really... I didn't think I was being _that _mean! The runt needed to learn how to take a little teasing! But the humor of the situation hit me just then too, and I couldn't contain a laugh as I dodged another one of Shippo's lunges. Springing up onto a branch on the tree, I turned around to smile down at the raging ball of Kitsune fury.

"Why are you so pissed, runt? I didn't _do _anything!" I called down at him, praying he would chase me some more. I hadn't had this much fun in weeks. To my surprise, the anger seemed to melt from Shippo, and his little face scrunched as though he were fighting back tears.

"I..." he began, before a small sob half formed, forcing him to visibly gather himself to stop himself from balling his eyes out. Well, it looked like play time was over. Hopping down onto the ground beside him, I settled down on my haunches.

"C'mon squirt, don't get all wussy on me. I was just kidding," I said, trying to hide the embarrassment I was starting to feel. I hadn't meant to make him cry!

"It's not that! It's just... I... I can't find Rin!" he cried, his voice wavering. For a moment, my brain froze. Rin? For a moment I couldn't place the name. Then it came back to me.

"That kid? She's missing?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, and it's your fault, too!" Shippo challenged angrily, while a fire seemed to ignite in his eyes as he glared at me. "After you left, I could tell that she couldn't stop thinking about you. Always drawing pictures of you and staring off into nowhere. She hardly played with me at all. I think she ran away to find you!"

I sat staring at Shippo, my mind racing. She ran away to find _me_? That was just crazy! Flattering, but crazy! How old was she anyway? Running away didn't seem like a big deal to me though. After all, I had done the same thing when I had been only a little older than her. Not that I wanted to see her on the street, but she could always go back if it got to be too much for her. Having lived the life, and fully expecting to return to it, I didn't have very much sympathy when I heard someone else had turned down the same road. It wasn't as bad as it sounded. On the other hand, sometimes it was worse. Great, now I was getting a little worried, and I didn't even know her!

"Well, what do you want me to do about it? I don't know where she went. This is a big city, you know," I commented, raising an eyebrow at the Kitsune. Looking for one little girl on foot in Tokyo would be like looking for a red grain of sand on a beach. "And how did you know where to find me, anyway? I mean, it's not like we know each other," I added.

With a smirk Shippo tapped his little nose, looking positively superior. "I could smell you. Once I smell a demon once, I can track him. Doesn't work so well on humans though. The smells blend together in a city. But you're the only Hanyou I've ever met. I could find you anywhere," he explained, his love of having to explain something to me loud in his tone.

"So if you could find me anywhere, why didn't you just tell her where I was? Sounds to me like her running away was all your fault," I pointed out.

"I..." he started, his mouth dropping open as he considered that.

"Great, I have my own supernatural stalker," I fake-moaned quickly, before he started crying again.

"You idiot, I'm not stalking you!" he protested, outraged, his guilt forgotten.

"Yeah right," I snorted. "Then why were you hanging around outside the house? I'll bet you spent all day looking into the women's windows, you little pervert," I taunted. Something about him just screamed out 'torment me mercilessly'. I couldn't resist it!

Staring at me, his green eyes wide, Shippo's mouth worked soundlessly as he thought of the best retort possible. Suddenly he shook his head, probably dismissing it all for later. "This is serious; we need to find her!" Shippo raged, pointing his tiny finger at me accusingly.

"We?" I echoed incredulously. "You're kidding, right? I can't go running around the city, I've got things to do," I said dismissively

"Like what?! What could possibly be more important than finding a lost girl?!" Shippo cried, his voice rich with righteous anger.

That was an easy one.

"School," I said gravely, the name bringing with it a familiar sense of dread.

I looked to the sky, and spotted the first signs of the rising sun as the darkness of night gave way to the pale colors of morning. A sense of coming doom crept up my spine, blocking out something Shippo said. Looking down, I blinked at him.

"Huh?" I mumbled at him.

Shippo's face contorted as a range of emotions flitted across, finally settling on defeat. "Never mind. Obviously you're not as great as Rin thought you were. To bad she didn't know that, or she'd still be safe. I'm out of here," Shippo said bitterly, as he got up to leave.

A flush of something like shame arose in me, and I looked down. _Damn it. _"Meet me here after school; I'll help you look for her, after that. Alright?" I said wearily, stopping him in his tracks. Looking back over his shoulder at me, he grinned brightly.

"_Okay-see-you-then!_" he sang out in a rush, as though his fit of bitterness had never happened. Without another word he disappeared in a puff of condensed smoke, without a trace, leaving me blinking like a stupid ox at the spot he had been standing. Stupid fox kids! Damn runaways! I'd just been played! Was I so naive a little kid could con me? I thought about that for a moment.

_Yep._

With a sigh, I stood up, noticing that the clean morning air no longer seemed so refreshing. Trudging back to the house, I went inside and closed the door behind me, wondering what I had just gotten myself into. _Why _would a little girl run away just to find _me_? I had helped her out, but it's not like I had stuck around to become buddies with her or anything. Plopping myself down onto the over-comfortable couch, I stared at the familiar ceiling.

_Why was I going to school? _

_Kagome_, I reminded myself, a mental picture of her beautiful face forming in my mind. My eyelids became heavy, and I blinked.

Abruptly I heard small feet pounding on the stairs, sure sign that Sota was coming to play, and I realized that my blink had turned into sleep. It was fairly bright in the living room, so I guessed that a few hours had passed. Sota was almost always the first to wake up, followed by me when he decided, each and every time, that I was not allowed to have peace and quiet in his presence.

"Hey Yasha, wake up time!" Sota trilled as he appeared in his pajamas, ready to give me a flying tackle. I braced myself. This was going to be a long, crazy day. Hoping to forestall his assault, I sat up quickly.

"I'm up, I'm up," I grumbled, feeling a bad mood setting in. I wished I could blink, and have time fast forward, so my day would be over already. I tried it experimentally, on the off chance.

"Mornin' Yasha. Why are you blinking like that? You look like an owl," Sota laughed, plopping himself down on the couch next to me, his short legs swinging in time to some musical beat only he could hear.

Looking down at him, I shrugged, feeling like an idiot.

Sota looked a lot like Kagome, with the same eyes and hair color. He was really smart, when he bothered to think. Sota always hit me with questions. First came the ones about my hair and eyes, then it had progressed from there. His curiosity was endless and his imagination huge, which fueled him with all the questions he needed to drive me absolutely insane. I still felt embarrassed every time I remembered his question at the dinner table a few nights ago, when he had asked if Kagome and I were in love. I would have laughed at Kagome's expression right alongside Sota, if I hadn't been mortified myself, and hurt at how easily she had dismissed the idea soon after.

"Wanna play some games?" he asked me, an eager tone in his high pitched voice. By games he meant video games, his ultimate passion. Fighting games mostly.

Shrugging again, I nodded. "Sure, why not," I said. Anything to put off the inevitable part where I got ready.

"Okay!" he exclaimed happily, as he scooted off the couch and approached the TV and game system set up against the wall. That's one thing I liked about him; he was really easy to please.

"Oh no you don't, Inuyasha," a sweet voice said behind me, causing me to jump a little before looking over my shoulder. Kagome stood there in her pajamas at the bottom of the stairs, her black hair messy and wild around her, causing my heart to climb up into my throat. She looked good in the morning. How had I not heard her come down? Sota's noise probably masked her, I guessed.

"W-Why not? It's just a game," I said, quickly looking away after realizing that I was staring again.

"Did you forget that we had to go early? We have to get you set up at the administration office before classes start. You're getting ready for school Mister, _right now_," she reminded imperiously, as she headed back up the stairs.

Crap. I _had _forgotten. Just wonderful. With a sigh, I got up, feeling very old.

"Sorry Sota, looks like I can't," I moaned. The video game seemed like a grand thing to do at that moment.

"Aw, man!" Sota pouted, sitting down with a controller in hand, as he selected single player instead of two player. _Oh yeah, he's devastated_, I thought sarcastically as Sota quickly lost himself in the game.

"It'll be alright, Sota. I know playing without me is gonna be tough, but you'll just have to be strong," I said sourly, wishing I were him.

"Wha..?" he mumbled at me absently, not taking his eyes from what he was doing.

With a snort I left him to clean up and prepare, which took very little time, as it turned out. Before I knew it, I stood at the front door in a black button up school uniform, with a book bag in one hand and my pride in the other, next to a radiant looking Kagome. I could swear she was glowing. Taking a deep breath, I turned to her, and had trouble not staring. She was in her usual short skirted school uniform. Her hair was brushed and shiny, but it still managed to seem a little wild. _Kind of like her_, I thought with a smirk. No matter what she chose to wear, she looked good. So I was pretty much always staring. And then trying to hide the fact that I was staring. Luckily she never seemed to notice. Maybe she just thought it was a quirk of mine, like my heritage.

"Well, I guess I'm set," I said, barely able to keep my voice cool. I felt my ears give a twitch in agitation underneath the black baseball cap I had on. "But do I have to wear this stupid thing? It makes it hard to hear," I complained, hooking a thumb at the hat. We had decided to not dye my hair, since it washed out too fast; it was too expensive to maintain.

Kagome took me in, her gaze traveling my body up to the hat, before her dark eyes settled on my own. "I can't think of anything else to use, besides that or a scarf," she admitted. I sighed in response, equally at a loss. My ears would just heighten the social punishment I was already going to get, if they were found out.

Kagome stepped closer, peering up into my face as she adjusted my cap for some unknown reason. I have found that women fuss with things that don't need fussing. I'd given up trying to figure out why. Not that I was complaining. The smell of apples and that something other that was just Kagome came with her, filling my senses until it was all I could do not to crush her to me, and start kissing whatever I could reach.

"Don't worry Inuyasha, you look bea--EH!" she ended up shrilling the last part, coughing over nothing. "Ah, I m-mean fine! You look just fine," She finished, stammering, her cheeks turning a deep red. She took a few steps back, adjusting a skirt that needed no adjustment.

I gaped, at a loss. What in the hell was wrong with her? Beaeeeh? Oh well, It wasn't like I'd never stumbled over words myself. But that didn't mean I couldn't give her hell for it.

"BeaeeEH? Is that code for something bad?" I half-joked, grinning.

With a mysterious smile, she played along. "You caught me. I think I have a paper bag somewhere we can use to put over your head. Some people at school have weak stomachs," she taunted, stepping out the door.

"Feh!" I snorted, following her out in the clear morning outside. This was going to suck.

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Well, I hope it was good enough to avoid a lynching. Please put down those pitchforks! AHH!!


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